Writings » from disciples » Vyasa Puja Offerings 2007
Vyasa Puja Offerings 2007
(View Devamrita Swami's 2007 offering to Srila Prabhupada)
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Dearest Gurudeva
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
It has been almost four years since I first heard you speak. I still remember your presentation on 'Authentic Pleasure'. You described yourself as a pleasure seeker and the process of bhakti-yoga as the way to experience real pleasure. Your presentation left me captivated and eager to delve deeper into this Supreme science. You touch so many people by your empowered preaching.
You are such an expert preacher Guru Maharaja, each time I hear you speak I am amazed at how you are able to say exactly what I need to hear.I remember your instructionsto me every day, they are my inspiration.
You are such a personalist. The way you develop and maintain such personal relationships with everyone surely testifies to your realisation of your personal relationship with Krsna. You show such compassion to the living entities who are in a state of forgetfulness of Krsna, by constantly preaching and giving so much of your time, guidance and care.
Guru Maharaja, it was just a short time ago that I was engaged in so many degraded activities. When I think of it now, I am so ashamed of myself. And that is only in this life that I can remember, how many lifetimes have I been forgetting about Krsna and performing so many sinful acts
Yet you are so merciful that you have given me this opportunity of devotional service. You give me so much of your time, guidance and care, always making sure that I understand and always giving me so much more that I give you.Thankyou Gurudeva for picking meup and showing me there is something higher than temporary material so-called pleasure.I am forever in your debt Guru Maharaja.
Krsna says in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.80.34):I, the soul of all beings, am not as satisfied by ritual worship, brahminical initiation, penances or self-discipline as I am by faithful service rendered to one's spiritual master.
How dear you must be to Krsna for your faithful service to Srila Prabhupada. You are always absorbed in your service to your spiritual master, setting such an exalted example for all your disciples to follow.
Gurudeva it is my sincere desire that I may be able to assist you, in some small way, in your service to Srila Prabhupada. Please allow me to stay in devotional service and please allow me to stay close to your lotus feet.
I can never actually express to you how much I appreciate you and all that you give me and how much effort you give to try to teach me. I can only try to serve you, and I sincerely pray that one day I will have no desire other than your service.
Aspiring to be your eternal servant,
acyuta bhava devi dasi -
nama om visnu- padaya
krsna pesthaya bhutale
srimate devamrita
swamin iti namine
pracare purva daksyam ca
bhaktacara pravinata
parapatatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaja,
please accept my humble obeisances on your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to write to you on the auspicious day of your appearance. I am very fortunate first of all you entered my life and heart. Often I think of where would I be without you, your disciples and your preaching centers. It's never a pleasant thought, not even for a slight moment. In your enlightening association is hope for everyone and with all your travelling you bestow the ultimate benefit upon people in general.
Thank you for your austere and sacrificial life,
Thank you for your dedication to follow your spiritual masters footsteps.
In Srimad Bhagavatam (8.7.44) it is said that great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because of the suffering of people in general. This is considered the highest method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in every one's heart.
Purport:
Here is an explanation of how those engaged in activities for the welfare of others are very quickly recognized by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita ( 18.68-69 ) ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati, na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah, "One who preaches the message of Bhagavad-gita to My devotees is most dear to Me..."
There are different kinds of welfare activities in this material world, but the supreme welfare activity is the spreading of Krishna consciousness. ...if one tries to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world, he should be understood to be performing the best welfare activity. The Lord is automatically very pleased with him. If the Lord is pleased with him, what is left for him to achieve?
Your aspiring fallen servant
Adina lila devi dasi -
Nama om Vishnu padaya
Krishna presthaia bhutale
Srimate Devamrita
swamin iti namine
Our Dearest Guru-Maharaja,
"Te ao ka hanga Te-Rangatira,
Tana ao ka aru te tutua
Tana kaupapa, mauri ora kite ao" BG 3:21
We are so happy to celebrate this, your wonderfull appearance day.
This has been a very important and wonderful year for us and our Krishna conciousness.
In August this year you were kind enough to come and spend some time with us in Invercargill. You were so encouraging and kind, tolerating our offensive and clumsy behaviour like an ever-patient father. The people you met down here are still talking about the presentation you gave at the student centre.
As if this kindness were not enough, you also accepted us as your disciples and gave us initiation in the Christchurch Temple. What could we possibly have done to have deserved this mercy? we cannot understand.
We are determined to repay your kindness and belief in us.
Gurudeva, you set the example of devotion to Sri Guru and Gauranga and we wish only to humbly try to follow this example. We pray only to serve at your lotus feet birth after birth.Please grant us the benediction that this may be so.
your lowly servants,
Advaita-Priya das, Hari-Priya das, Tawhairiri Tulasi & Nimai -
Dear Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I want to express my gratitude to you today for your very determined and steady effort to preach Srila Prabhupada's mission.
Your mood is filled with genuine compassion and love.You strongly desire and endeavour to facilitate Lord Caitanya's mercy to reach every nook and cranny, every town and village. It manifests in powerful, cutting, and thought provoking preaching. The result of this kirtana which has been singing and ringing for many steady years now, is a dynamic culture of sweet, wonderful enthusiastic devotees, fully sold-out to the mission of Srila Prabhupada.
Thankyou for truley caring for devotees and putting their needs ahead of the institution. That's the formula for strengthening the institution.
Thankyou for training them in sound Vaisnava principles inline with Srila Prabhupada's instructions and also in painstakingly helping them on all levels of their life, including physical and emotional.
Thankyou for always stressing the foremost need to chant Hare Krsna attentively with taste, and to study Srila Prabhupada's books with great faith and enthusiasm.
Thankyou for tasting and illuminating the unlimited nectar ocean of Srila Prabhupada's personal ecstacies in his transcendental books.
Thankyou for having a longterm vision for the implimentation of Krsna Consciousness in the modern world and not being blind to the inevitable collapse of society as we know it.
In that regard, thankyou for encouraging cow protection and inspiring it's beginning in the land of cow slaughter along with the growing of food.
Thankyou for helping to unfold the wonderful plan of Srila Prabhupada for Krsna conscious lifestyle in New Zealand.
May you live a long life and continue your relentless preaching efforts right to your very last breath.
Your aspiring servant,
Ameyatma das -
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Hare Krishna.
The loft is your house and in this place have been living your spiritual servants. Thank you because your doors were always open for me, the opportunity to grow is the most important in my spiitual life, and I am happy after finding this magic place.
I am learning every day to do service better for you and Krishna and enjoy when I learn new activities.
I know my mission in this life is service and distribution of the knowledge to other people.
Thank you for your advice because your vision and your eyes are spiritual.
Haribooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool.
Your servant,
Andrea. -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Words cannot express the deepest gratitude I feel for being a recipient of your causeless mercy. Under the dark veil of ignorance I was rotting away in material life, becoming increasingly more degraded. Through your causeless mercy, your deepest compassion for the fallen souls of Kali-Yuga, you lifted that dark veil and revealed the light of transcendental knowledge.
While preaching, you shine with purity, enthusiasm, heart-warming humor and the deepest devotion. Your lectures have always been a treasured source of shelter, challenging my materialistic conceptions and inspiring me to become Krsna Conscious. Your ecstatic kirtans are also very inspiring. They radiate the bliss of devotional service and show us how to give everything for Krsna's pleasure.
Gurudeva, you are truly expert at Vaisnava dealings, knowing exactly what to say to soften the hearts of your disciples and inspiring them to give more in their service. You are showing me the power of the Holy Name to purify both the mind and body from all material contamination, for ever-increasing engagement in devotional service. For this I am eternally grateful. I pray that the instructions you have so kindly given me become one with my heart, so I can serve you selflessly with sincerity and devotion, assisting you in your service to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you for giving me the association of devotees and the opportunity to engage in devotional service. Please allow me to always take shelter of your lotus feet.
Your aspiring servant
Bhaktine Angela -
Hare Krishna!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and All Vaisnavas!
Nama Om Visnu Padaya Krsna Presteya Bhutale Srimati Devamriita Svamine iti namine.
Dear Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obiences!
Happy Appearance Day! On this Day I truley am grateful to Sri RadhaKrsna, Sri Caitanya, Sri Nityananda and Srila Prabhupada and Sri Guru, for giving us a special mercy. The mercy of your presence on this Earth at this time, to teach us fallen ignorant souls about Sri Krsna. All glories to The Diciplic succession and Parampara since the time of Lord Krsna, and enforced by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
I am especially grateful as you have taught us so many things in Krishna Consciousness, from your Spiritual retreats around Sydney that I have had the pleasure of being part of. You teach us Simple yet the most practical things, that we have fogotten over time but your sweet voice and loving smile has embedded it now in my mind and heart. My words cannot express how grateful all Vaisnavas are towards your service and how you have impacted our lives. The Spiritual Seekers always look forward to your visits, you make them so fun and enjoyable with Sri Krsna in the centre as always. You have so many diciples and aspiring disiples who I am glad to have the association of. I can see so many qualities in them, that Yourself and Srila Prabhupada and Sri Guru Maharaja HH Jayapataka swami have helped them once again find. Again.......Parampara is great.
All glories to your eternal loving service to Sri Guru and Gauranga. I wish you good health in carring out your service and helping others. If in any way I can serve you, please let me know, even though I am not qualified.
Takecare my dear Devamrita Swami.
Thank you.
Hare Krsna!
Anish
Hare Krishna! -
Hare Krishna,
Dear Guru Maharaj!
In the mood of deep humbleness I am offering to Your lotus feet my obeisances, and also, in my mind, I am offering You Holiness a bouquet of wonderful flowers.
All glories to all the devotees. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Although this year I did not have this great opportunity to meet You, however, in my mind and heart I am at Your lotus feet, otherwise there is just no meaning in my life. With Your example You teach me how to be decisive and serious, to deepen my Krishna Consciousness whatever possible.
Day by day I realize more obvious that this world is not my real home, that those people called "relatives" are not the closest people in reality (even the children and parents). They are just separate souls to whom I was attached due to our karma. But the closest are the Spiritual Master and Krishna. Because of a great compassion and love for us, fallen souls, You create such situation through which a particular understanding of caducity of this body and immortal soul, which just suffers in this world and waits for a Spiritual Master, comes.
Only He can save the people, suffering in the fire of material existence. So when this meeting happens, it can be described only by one word "Happiness", because the rest already does not matter. I love You, dear Guru Maharaj, very very much and thank my destiny for the mercy. I even cannot believe that this fabulous meeting happened to me. Please, always be healthy. Please, allow always stay Your disciple and be at Your lotus feet.
Thank you for everything.
Your disciple,
Atma-maya d.d. Omsk. -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I have not met a person who has been so kind and who has cared for me as much as you, Srila Gurudeva!
What I once thought of as care, kindness and inspiration I can now somewhat see as being the exact opposite.
All that so called care and affection was based on behavior that took me away from my actual identity; my true nature as an eternal being, full of knowledge and bliss; a purely happy servant of Krsna.
The inspiration and enthusiasm I once gained from my mundane association simply solidified me in a false identity based on pursuing the temporary. I remained convinced that Maya's culture would provide full friendship, happiness and love. Instead I just remained overwhelmed with anxiety, confusion and grief. Such care Maya offers!
Self envy and envy of others true nature; all in the name of a 'new agey', Steiner school education, teenage romances, empty vegan activist type friendships and a fleeting family. What care was there? What was the result of that care? I was being suffocated by material desires and material misery; what was my future???"And why have I invited spiritual death? Because I am engaged in something which is useless and have rejected the real purpose of my life. Adhane means "valueless things," and dhana means "valuables." So, actually every one of us is neglecting our spiritual emancipation: we are engaged in material sense gratification, and therefore we are losing the opportunity of this human form of body to elevate ourselves to the spiritual platform. This human body is especially provided to the conditioned soul to give him a chance for spiritual emancipation. So anyone who does not care for spiritual emancipation is inviting spiritual death. Spiritual death means to forget oneself-to forget that one is spirit. That is spiritual death, like animal life. Animal life is full forgetfulness. The animals cannot be reminded under any circumstances that they are not this body. It is only in this human form of life that one can understand that he is not this body, that he is spirit soul. By chanting Hare Krsna one can easily understand this fact. In other words, by worshiping Lord Caitanya, following His principles and ways, and chanting Hare Krsna one can very easily come to the platform of spiritual understanding. But Narottama dasa Thakura says on our behalf that we are neglecting this. Therefore we are inviting spiritual death."
(purport to Gaura Pahu)
You are the only person who has actually cared for me, the spirit soul, not just the body and mind, and actually put an end to the path of spiritual suicide known as friendship, society and love.
Your care for us is so strong and so great that you are actually sacrificing your very life to show us what the actual standard of care, kindness, inspiration and love is!"As Srila Prabhupada taught us, you can't love others properly until you love Krsna. Think about that. You have to connect with the source of everything in order to properly relate to everything else."
(Blinded by love, lecture 2006)
Because of your deep love for Krsna you are naturally deeply concerned with His parts and parcels, therefore you are so expertly arranging for our re-entry into the devotional service of the Lord. This is your real care for all of us; that we truly experience the amazing nature of who we actually are as pure servants of Lord Caitanya.
You recently relayed Srila Prabhupada's definition of good management in a lecture: 'to create an interest in Krsna Consciousness where there is none.' You then asked a group of around 40 devotees if before coming to Gaura-Yoga etc, had any of the devotees planned on becoming devotees, Hare Krsnas. No one raised their hands. Such is your great power!!! You are inspiring Krsna consciousness in the lives of so many in such an expert and unique way!
As you have so nicely said,"And when the devotees inspire me in Krsna consciousness, they're loving me, whether it's a fellow brahmacari or husband or wife or whatever; mother, father, daughter, son; if someone is inspiring you to increase your attachment to Krsna that is love. So there is love in the brahmacari ashram, there is love in the grhastha ashram and there is love in the sannyasa ashram. So we want to take up the ways and means by which we can fall in love with devotional service. We want to be attached to the holy name; attached to Krsnas glories; attached to prasad; the association of devotees, and then we'll naturally realize we're falling in love with Krsna. Falling in love with devotional service means falling in love with Krsna."
(Blinded by love lecture 2006)
Please allow me to become perpetually astonished by considering your activities of immeasurable kindness and compassion. You have given me so much and you continue to give me so many amazing opportunities to engage in devotional service, in the association of such amazing devotees, I am truly blessed with so many saintly devotees who look after me in devotional service . Such is your great power! What you have given me is truly amazing. Srila Prabhupada describes (Bg 2.72 purport): "There is no difference between the kingdom of God and the devotional service of the Lord. Since both of them are on the absolute plane, to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord is to have attained the spiritual kingdom." Please allow me to actually dedicate myself to the ocean of nectar in distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and, further, please give me the ability to share these most amazing opportunities with other devotees. Please give me the long term sankirtana ingredient: transcendental compassion for all living beings. Please let me see like this, as you say, "I can't stand to see that these people are suffering like this. They have so much potential. They are meant for Krsna's pleasure."
It is truly time for me to become deeply moved by this and become an actually effective instrument in sharing Krsna consciousness. Without meeting you and contacting your devotional service I would have been another tragedy in Kali Yuga. So many people are still missing out on the happiness of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement. Death is taking many away from contacting these wonderful opportunities. Please let me see the true disasters taking place on earth and feel the urgency of this situation."This human body is especially provided to the conditioned soul to give him a chance for spiritual emancipation. So anyone who does not care for spiritual emancipation is inviting spiritual death. Spiritual death means to forget oneself - to forget that one is spirit. That is spiritual death, like animal life. Animal life is full forgetfulness."
(purport to Gaura Pahu).
Please bless us all with increased Krsna consciousness so we may impress upon others this most great and essential need, Krsna consciousness.ekaki amara, nahi paya bala,
hari-nama-sankirtane
tumi kripa kori', sraddha-bindu diya,
deho' krishna-nama-dhane
Alone, I do not find the strength to chant the holy name of Hari. Please be merciful and, blessing me with a drop of faith, bestow on me the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.
krishna se tomara, krishna dite paro,
tomara sakati ache
ami to' kangala, 'krishna' 'krishna' boli',
dhai tava pache pache
Krsna is yours, and you can give Him to me, for such is your power. This wretch is simply running behind you, crying out, "Krsna! Krsna!"
I really need to be your servant,
Bal Gopal das -
Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All glories to You, Srila Gurudeva.
On this auspicious day of your appearance, despite my frailties and limitations, I offer this meager attempt to say something in order to glorify You.
Each year, as I slowly progress on the path of Bhakti, I am shocked at the ever-deepening revelation that I have very little taste for chanting the glories of Krishna and His holy names. Alongside this realization, I am seeing how the depth of my conditioning expands endlessly. Each year reveals newer and thicker layers of my material contamination and their stark form and reality appear more vivid and focused than ever before.
How will I ever get beyond this contamination? When will I ever get even a taste for the shadow of the holy name? When shall my offences cease?
Each day now requires a heart felt outcry for mercy, as this ocean of material life appears insurmountable.
In Your offering to Srila Prabhupada this year I was struck by You pointing out, with emphasis, that when the whole cosmic manifestation is wrapped up, we enter into Maha-Visnu for trillions and trillions of years and then released once again into this never ending sojourn of misery and disappointment, birth after birth.
So when will I actually realize the futility of material existence and see the insignificance of my so-called material desires? Despite repeated hearing I am unchanged. I am such a fool.
Only my Divine Spiritual Master and eternal Father, please save me!
I prefer to use the words Divine Master, as Srila Prabhupada did in His offering to his spiritual master (February 25th 1935). For me, these words "Divine Master" drive home more clearly the true reality of the relationship and glory of the spiritual master.
What is that glory?
It is by Your mercy that this material ocean can be crossed. It is by Your mercy that I have this opportunity to end this devastating existence. It is by Your mercy that I can become qualified to help others.
As my Divine Master, You are my only shelter!!!!
This may seem a simple statement and often used casually, but it is packed with the ultimate powerful force and meaning. What is that force? It is the mercy of such a great soul as Yourself. It is powerful enough to plant the Bhakti lata bija, which can eventually burst through the layers of the universe, finally arriving at the Lotus Feet of Lord Sri Krishna. This mercy disentangles the conditioned soul from trillions of years of repeated birth and death and ends the infinite suffering offered by Maya.
What can compare to this mercy offered by the spiritual master?
So on this special day I am simply remembering the essence of Your Divine glories, that You can deliver fallen and wretched souls like me from the worst to the ultimate perfected state.
You have given me access to the greatest wealth in the form of knowledge of how to engage in devotional service. I simply pray that by your mercy I can remain a simple servant, birth after birth. I pray that You will give me the vision to see through the eyes of Sastra and to have the ability to help others with what few breaths I have left.
"O lord & master! When will such mercy fall to this weak and foolish devotee? Please make me your beloved servant."
"When I examine myself. I find nothing of value. Therefore your mercy is essential to me. If you are not merciful, I shall simply weep and weep, and I shall not maintain my life any longer" Gurudeva (from Saranagati)
All Glories unto You! All Glories unto You! All Glories unto You!
Your servant & disciple Bhadrasena das -
Dear Guru maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you Guru maharaja for your help in my life. Where would I be without you kindly interfering in my life? After finishing my degree, I would have certainly be knocking doors, from door to door in desperate search for a master, like a dog. And I would have been more and more disappointed and miserable. Thank you for reaching out with such selfless devotion to everyone, giving everyone the equal opportunity to serve the Supreme master, Sacidananda.
You definitely make it easy to come to Krsna Consciousness. The heart of travellers at the yoga centres are crying out for Krsna Consciousness. No matter how polished or sophisticated life in the material world is, it leaves people unsatisfied and empty. I have recently met this girl, Johann, she had been spotted by your troops all over New Zealand, first in South Island and then at The Loft in Auckland. They guided her on her journey which turned out to be spiritual, leading her to the sankirtan army of Melbourne on Swanston street where she got one of Srila Prabhupada's books on her second day in Melbourne. Innocently bewildered by the kali yuga scene, Lord Caitanya showed her mercy through His representatives once again and directed her to the temple, where I met her. Next day at Urban yoga, she was confessing that she does not know who she is but that she would really like to know. Your centres are searched out by travelers and they often comment that it is the highlight of their travel.
Genuine care for someone is a rare thing in this material world. You so expertly train and encourage us all to care for others in the same way that you show us care. You very expertly arrange our lives so that we can please Krsna most. In that way you throw us into the fire of giving Krsna Consciousness to others, even to such worthless conditioned souls like me.
I pray for the ability to assist you in your glorious mission to please Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas.
Your servant,
Bhakti-lata dd -
Dear Srila Gurudeva.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
On our first meeting five years ago in Wellington, you spoke a class on the preface of nectar of devotion. You specifically talked about the taste of devotional service, and how we all do our particular activities because there is a taste to it. "Everyone of us in this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for that service is the pleasure we derive from it". You talked of the experience one can relish from Krishna Consciousness, at the time my kali-yuga mind could not comprehend anything beyond the grey taste of kali yuga activities and for a while I could not understand anything different form that. I only knew the pain of material life and in that helpless state I clung to the devotees that you had so expertly trained up as they seemed to be experiencing the kind of satisfaction or taste that you were describing
In every budding devotee, even as useless as myself, you find some spark, some quality that you engage and expand, you are so expert in fanning those sparks into flames. You are the most expert manager; although you have such attention to detail (especially when it comes to caring for devotees) you set systems in place, you would never have to micro manage. You inspire, empower and train your disciples so they can assist you in your service in Srila Prabhupadas mission.
Thank you for expertly engaging my crazy mind in devotional service. Please help me to become more devotional, so I am not just keeping busy to negate my still uncontrolled mind but can perform heartfelt intelligent service which I know would be a much more useful offering to you...
Through allowing your disciples to engage simply in Lord Caitanya's golden Sankirtan mission even the most fallen can experience the taste that you were describing on our first meeting. It is still very difficult for me to describe... I just can't articulate the supremely energising taste of the active engagement in the preaching mission of Krishna consciousness. Thank you for allowing us the privilege to be part of such an experience. Thank you for keeping it simple.
You always inspire your disciples to give all their energies in devotional service, "what are you saving it for?" you often ask. You so expertly create that mood where we can sacrifice, thus we can start to taste the holy name. I am so grateful for your giving this lost soul this opportunity. So let the kirtan go on all night, let the misson of Srila Prabhupada enter deep within our hearts and let the distributing of Srila Prabhupadas books always remain our real home.
In your Vyasa puja to your beloved Srila Prabhupada this year you wrote Through all the typical phases and tumults of life in this world, may I always cling to devotional service.
Trying to follow in your mood I pray, "Please don't let me waist any of these opportunities that you offer, but let me wholeheartedly embrace them, may I aways cling to devotional service."
Aspiring to be the servant of your servants,
Bhava Sandhi dasi -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Nama om Vishnu padaya Krishna presthaya bhutale
Srimat devamrita svamin iti namine
All Glories to Srila Prahbupada!
I am finding it very difficult dear Maharaja, to put into words the
gratitude and love I feel within my heart for now having you and Lord
Krishna in my life.
Thank you for the loving guidance which have provided for my daughter (and
sister) as she strives humbly to be a worthy servant of you and our Dear
Lord Krishna.
It is through your guidance of her that she, in turn, has been able to guide
me - and what greater connection could any mother and daughter have than to
both surrender their lives in devotion to Krishna and you, his humble and
loving servant.
I willing accept any direction you give to me to deepen my commitment to
Krishna - just say the words.
My deep feelings of unworthiness are gradually dissipating as I realise that
Krishna simply wants my sincerity - Thank you for allowing me to see that.
I pray that Krishna may continue to bless you with true knowledge, energy to
cope with this vast responsibility he has placed upon you of bring us to
him, and the unfailing and unconditional love of your devotees to encourage
you.
Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart!
Your aspiring devotee
Jo -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisance's unto your Lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupada !!
All glories to you!!
I remember the first time I came to see you in the retreat and I was about sit on the lounge next to you, you quickly pointed towards the floor (yes Nityananda Priya Prabhu, I have never told you this but I was one of them you always make fun of). Guru Mahraj, that was the first of the many times you have shown me my real position and sent my false ego for a six. To say the least I wasn't very impressed but for some reason the instructions you gave me that day stuck with me and it is only because of those instructions I have been able to swim against the tide of Material Ocean and what I now understand is called maya. You did not only help me but also helped my family come to Krishna Consciousness. For some reason whenever you mention about parents becoming Krishna conscious and you talk about corporate world and rising up the corporate ladder all faces turn towards me and I also get 2 elbows from either side of me, sometimes I wonder why? When KrishnaKatha came back from his Europe tour, he came upto me and told me "I didn't know it was you". Thank you Guru Maharaj for making some use of us in Krishna's service and instructing us so that we can advance in Krishna Consciousness.
Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ara na koriho mane asa.
Your Unworthy Servant
BrahmaKunda Dasa -
Nama om Vishnu padaya
Krishna presthaia bhutale
Srimate Devamrita
swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
"Obeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching,
competence in Vaishnava dealings, selflessness and compassion."
Hare Krishna Dear Guru Dev,
Happy Vyasa Puja Day.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Your lotus feet.
All glories to your Vyasa Puja day Mahotsava.
Guru Maharaj, on this auspicious day I pray at the lotus feet of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai to shower you with many more vyasa puja days. May Gauranga Mahaprabhu always keep you healthy and energetic so you can keep distributing His love to millions of conditioned souls. Guru Maharaj with contaminated consciousness, it is difficult to understand Krishna or Krishna consciousness without taking the shelter of Srila Prabhupada's books. And I always see you reminding all of us again and again "books are the basis." Guru Maharaj you carry Srila Prabhupada in your heart where ever you speak which is relish able in your lectures. I do not feel I have not seen Prabhupada, thanks to your dynamic lectures describing Prabhupada's purports so strongly.
Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu mercifully accepted even fallen living entities like Jagai-Madai , Guru Maharaj you have accepted this unqualified disciple. Guru Maharaj, please bless me with a very special blessing on this auspicious day that I always stay on Srila Prabhupada Jaladuta ISKCON ship. Guru Maharaj you have been very merciful to me in spite of all my faults and I am such an unfortunate servant I could not justify my existence due to lack of serving attitude. Guru Maharaj, I also have a desire to serve your self through your instructions just like my other sincere god brothers and sisters. But I am so shameless that I am still attached to my so-called duties and possessions.
Guru Maharaj, I remember your personal instructions for me in your last visit to Noida," Krishna has given you so much spiritual and material, now do not sit on this but reinvest in Krishna's service."
Guru Maharaj, I am so weak at heart and dull headed that in spite of remembering your instructions that penetrate my mind regularly and are in deed for my ultimate benefit, I have been a failure by not taking any concrete action on them. Material energy is smashing me from left and right and I am still attached to it.
Now I can realize my unhappiness is due to not obeying to my Guru Dev.
In one of the lectures Srila Prabhupada has mentioned that you get mother and father and their care in each from of life. But Krishna and Guru do not come in every birth. Guru Maharaj please bless me so that I can become some small instrument in your magnanimous mission to spread Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement for the pleasure of your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.
Guru Maharaj kindly keep me under your divine shelter, always.
Guru Maharaj's vyasa puja mahotsva ki jai.
Your useless servant,
Buddhimanta Dasa -
Dear Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga
I have been very fortunate to have been able to get your association for the last few years in Bombay and now in Melbourne. It was always very enlivening, deep and introspective to hear from you. You present the philosophy according to time, place and circumstance. Just like a torch light which dissipates the darkness in a room, your presentations are full of introspection and thoughtful which dissipate the ignorance within one's mind.
You have shown by your own example the strong emphasis that you put on distribution of Srila Prabhupad books and reading them. You had risked your life to distribute the books of Srila Prabhupad behind the iron-curtain. Even before meeting a devotee you had read all of Srila Prabhupad's books straight for 6 months. After coming to Melbourne I have seen how your disciples have rightly inherited your legacy. I was inspired by many of the devotees here who are experts in book distribution, very sincere and regulated in reading Srila Prabhupad's books and finding innovative ways to preach to the local people. And one of the main reasons behind this is your emphasis and example.
On this auspicious occasion I beg for your mercy so that I will be able to humbly assist pioneers like you in spreading the mission of Srila Prabhupada.
Your aspiring servant
Caitanya Rupa das -
Please accept my humbles obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All Glories to you!
Dear Srila Gurudev:
Thank you, thank you, thank you very much, I can't stop expressing you how
gratefull am I, for your unconditional love that you're giving to us day
after day, in order that we still be Krsna Consciousness. Sorry for being so
irresponsible in following your instructions, knowing that the minimal thing
that you only asks for is follow the principles and Chant our rounds. In
this last time, we are trying to realize the most important thing that is to
be Krsna Consciousness whatever it happens, whatever the season in which we
are, as you said to me, that the more Krsna Consciousness I become the more
I will be able to help you and also helping Premikrsna.
After all the mercy that you gave us in your last visit, we are more
strong in chanting the Holy Names, thank you very much for being so tolerant
especially in our difficult spiritual moments, really you're an example of
following the Spiritual Master, always I remember the day in which you
accept me as your aspiring disciple, telling me that now I have a father,
really you are the father that I never have, and also that you're an very
strict father, I hope that I won't disappoint you, trying to follow always
your instructions, and to please you, thank you very much for all your
mercy, trying to become every day as your Vyasa Puja.
Aspiring to be your servant
Bhaktin Camila
"Always Remember Krsna and Never Forget Him" jay Srila Prabhupada -
Dearest Guru Maharaja
Please accept my most humble obeisance's at your lotus feet
All glories all glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories all glories to You!
A short time ago a young person who had began the process of bhakti came to me and said "I have decided to give up the process of Krsna consciousness" and they began to tell me of there new plans for happiness in the material world.
It very much saddened me and I began to feel some small compassion, then I thought of you and it hit me! My spiritual Master has saved me! He has really saved me! Thankyou Guru Deva for saving me from chasing the illusion of finding happiness by trying to fulfil ones material desires in this world. You mercifully picked me up and placed me in devotional service under your shelter. You continue to encourage me to grow and advance in Krsna consciousness and find the real happiness that is available is selfless service to Krsna.
It is often in times when I am trying to reach out to others in sharing Krsna consciousness that I think of you. When I feel it is so hard just to try and make one devotee of the Lord, I think of you and how much you have given me. I am only with devotees by your mercy. Because you have given so much, I must try to give so much. Any little insignificant service I may faultily perform is like a tiny drop compared to your ocean of mercy and compassion that you continually and selflessly pour over me and so many others.
I love it when you come to visit Brisbane and enliven the devotees here with your classes. I love to watch how you so expertly present Krsna in such a way to change peoples hearts. Whenever you come you bring your waves of unique skills in preaching, competence in vishnava dealings, selflessness and compassion. These waves come crashing down and help to smash my pride and you so lovingly bring me to the shore if I am drowning in my ocean of selfishness and ignorance.
When you are not physically present you are present in your instructions. I hear you say ;"Chant Hare Krsna, Come what may"
"Stay Krsna conscious through all phases of life"
I know there will be so many challenges and obstacles to overcome in spiritual life, but by your mercy and words I want to fight! You give me strength and determination to want to go the distance in Krsna consciousness and make something of myself in Krsna consciousness. You say;"Don't just live for yourself live for others "
"How much you give Krsna you get Krsna".
So Guru Deva how dear you must be to Krsna.
On this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja, I need to ask one prayer. Please help me how to associate and serve Krsna's dear devotees. I dont know how and I am afraid of committing offenses and of becoming proud.
Please always keep me a humble servant at your lotus feet.
All glories to your service!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Aspiring in your service
Your servant and spiritual daughter
Campak Gaur devi dasi -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I have heard you say that challenge is important in bhakti-yoga. A challenge makes us more dependent on Krishna. If times are good, things are rosy and there is much material rejoicing, Krishna is easily forgotten.
The past year has certainly been a challenge for me. Writing a PhD thesis is by far the most difficult thing I have ever attempted in this lifetime. All the more reason to depend on Krishna's causeless mercy.
So, thank you for facilitating Krishna's mercy. Thank you also for your own causeless mercy. I certainly do not deserve all the encouragement and support that you have been giving me over the years. What can I possibly do to reciprocate?
Now, with my educational odyssey (hopefully) soon coming to an end, a new stage of life awaits. I do not know what will happen in the future. However, this being the material world, I suspect it will not be easy. But why worry? After all, what would Krishna consciousness be without a healthy challenge? So, no matter what circumstances may come or go, please allow me to continue to be your servant.
your servant,
Candidasa dasa -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I would like you to know that today, as every other day, but especially today on the anniversary of your appearance, I am thinking of you.
I have no doubt that you are 100% dedicated to the service of your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. I have no doubt that you are 100% full of compassion for the fallen souls of the material world. You serve as a perfect example of a servant and preacher.
I aspire to be able to serve you with the same dedication that you serve Srila Prabhupada. I aspire to share your compassion for all. These are very high aspirations for a person as low as me.
I am sorry that I am not as great as your other disciples. I cannot really call myself your disciple although I proudly call you my Guru Maharaja. You have so kindly tried to teach me and guide me but I am so attached to finding my own path that I have pushed you away. I am sorry that I have not lived up to your expectations for me. But I want you to know that I am thinking of you always.
Your fallen servant, Carana Renu dasi. -
Dear Gurumaharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your lotus feet.
Four and a half years ago you told me to go to the "dynamic ladies center" in New-Zealand: Gaura-yoga. It took me four years to actually get there. And it has opened my eyes.
It is only by your mercy that I am here, and I am very, very grateful that you allowed me to come to Gaura-yoga. It is definitely the most amazing place I have ever been at, and that is because you so selflessly worked on this project for years. Because of your sacrifice, so many suffering and bewildered souls have a shelter now where they can make rapid advancement in Krsna consciousness. I hope that one day I will be able to do something useful by helping you in your preaching at Gaura-yoga or any of your other projects.
Your influence here is so great, I can feel your presence here every day, and it gives me a very warm feeling. After those few years in Krsna consciousness, I finally feel like I have come home. I feel very much sheltered, finally. And that is only because of you. We all need shelter, and seeing that you are personally involved with every aspect of Gaura-yoga is a calming thought. You care so much for your dependents. Not superficial, but genuine care. You don't find this anywhere in the material world.
Actually, I feel like a hypocrite, trying to glorify you. I have no sincerity whatsoever, as I have shown you recently. You have all the vaisnava qualities, like mercy, compassion, selflessness. You don't judge people on the bodily platform, as became very clear to me during your last visit. You have been so merciful to me. Even though I have not been following your instructions, still you try everything to help me. Patita-pavana, saving the most fallen souls.
Gurudeva, I really hope that one day I will get some sincerity so I can follow your instructions properly and start paying you back for everything you have done for me. Although I know that I will never be able to repay you. I realise more and more how much mercy I am getting by having such a wonderful, selfless spiritual master.
Struggling to become your servant,
Caroline -
Dearest Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
My words can not say enough for the gratitude and appreciation I feel towards you.
I thank you for showing such mercy towards me, you have so many disciples that you care about so much all over the world, but you still give us all individual attention like we are your only disciple. Your endless love and devotion to Krishna and the previous Acaryas makes me feel all the more determined and devoted towards pleasing you.
Please reveal to me how I can be a better devotee and of better service to you.
I feel helpless and dependant on your mercy.
your aspiring servant
Cecilia -
Hare Krishna, my dear Guru Maharaj!
Please, accept my humble obeisances to Your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to the vaisnavas!
Several decades ago You came to this world to become a humble and great representative of Lord Krishna, a perfect disciple of Your Guru and Father for so many people, who are now Your disciples. Guru Maharaj, I long so much to become one of those luckys, as all of them already have Your OFFICIAL spiritual protection.
However, I dare not to say even a word against lack of Your association and attention to me. Despite the fact that I have not get the initiation form You yet, still cannot follow all Your instructions in a perfect way. Nevertheless, You always pay me so much attention, give so much care and love that even other initiated devotees are amazed sometimes. Of course, dear Maharaj, I appreciate it enormously, but at the same time understand that only by Your unreasonable and limitless mercy do I have this so living-important for me drop of Your blessing, as I do not deserve it at all.
Not long ago I realized one more time how imperfect and stupid I am: even after association with so many great devotees, even after meeting the pure devotee of Krishna (Your Holiness) and hearing so many about Krishna's pastimes I still need proofs in KC. However, You are so merciful that You find time to provide me those proofs personally. For instance, maybe 8-9 months ago I was living just dreaming of going to the Holy Dhama, thinking about it just like about something non-happening. But suddenly You sent me that extremely inspiring letter about Dhama and even already gave me the instructions in case of going there. So now, these 8-9 months past and by Your mercy Krishna and Radha let me go there.
Now I have my personal example and nobody is able to reconvince me that pure devotee's desire can do "undoable", can make any wish come true Dear guru Maharaj, since I met Your Divine Grace (it is still the most exciting and meaningful moment in my material existence), my life changed drastically, You changed it. Now I always can have the perfect example of Your service to Your Guru, the vaisnavas and sastras in front of my eyes as a goal to reach.
I thousand times thank You, my dearest Gurudev, for Your appearance in my life and saving me, for giving a chance to change, become better serving You. The worst thing that can only happen to me is that You leave my solid, full of egoism heart so I am trying and praying that very soon I'll be able to do everything You want me to do and follow all the instructions.
There are too many things I want to add, as Guru is the ocean of allgood qualities, but it is impossible within this small piece of righting. So I can only wish and pray that You always stay in my heart and let me serve You anyhow.
Hope so much that Your health, Guru Maharaj, is ok and lets You dance and sing among Krishna's devotees as You always do with great perfection.
I love You, my Guru Maharaj, my Father and hope so much to see You in Vrindavan this year.
Constantly trying to become Your unconditional servant,
Christina (Novosibirsk). -
nama om visnu padaya
krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrta
swamin iti namine
pracare purva daksyam ca
bhaktacara pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurumaharaja.
Please accept my obeisances on your auspicious appearance day.
Ealier this year we were fortunate enough to have had your transcendental association to honour and celebrate a significant chapter in your spiritual success story. Of course that milestone was marking the 25th year of you accepting the Sannyasa order of life.
Can we count how many heroic services you have performed in the last 25 plus years as an obedient servant to your spiritual master and ISKCON Founder Acarya Srila Prabhupada? From assisting in the liberation of the unfortunate souls imprisoned in the dark confines of the atheistic communist regime of the former Eastern bloc nations. Being part of the superhuman effort to complete the Caitanya Caritamrta in the 2 months that Srila Prabhupada ordered them to be completed by. Fearlessly travelling to every continent on the globe, lecturing at various prestigious educational institutions, inspiring, supporting, counselling, encouraging and giving shelter to countless conditioned souls, of which I am fortunate enough to be one of. Becoming an author of international selling books. Appearing on various television and media shows around the world to preach Krsna consciousness. Establishing and overseeing dynamic and vibrant urban outreach centres which give so many westerners a chance to recieve the full mercy of Lord Caitanya's sankirtan mission. Becoming an initiating Spiritual master in the Brahma Madhava Gaudia Vaisnava tradition with disciples all over the world who you give so much of your time and personal loving care to. Bravely taking on demanding GBC responsibilities.
So many wonderful achievements. But most of all through your selfless and loving service you have set the example of what sacrifice it takes to give Krsna pleasure. You have shown that the sacrifice of bodily comforts and selfish material desires for a greater purpose is the central point to a successful life. So thankyou for your sacrifice and for being our hero and inspiration in giving pleasure to Krsna. You are one of a kind and have touched the lives of so many in a very profound way. I hope that I can be of some assistance to you in your efforts at bringing Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya and Radha and Krsna pleasure.
Your insignificant servant
Dandakaranya das -
My Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All Glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
Guru Maharaja, it is nearly 2 years now since I came in contact with you. And when I look back, I realize that I am completely a different person now. Slowly but surely there has been a transformation - both external and internal. But for your shelter and guidance, I would have been rotting in this material world, knowing not how to engage my energies in Krsna Consciousness. Somehow, you picked me like a fly stuck in honey, and carefully placed me in the love and care of the devotees in Brisbane, here.
With the passing of each day, I am getting to appreciate your causeless mercy more and more. Every morning, as I embark on my life time mission of distributing books, I ponder, 'How can a small , puny, and a weakling like me, can ever bring about a positive change in the degraded lives of the people of Queensland'? As I load my bag with books, I feel no confidence in me that I could do even one book of my own accord. Yet, since I do not know any other way to please you, I somehow push myself out of the comfort zone of the ashram.
Walking down the streets, I nourish myself with your lectures, that emphasize the importance of this glorious service. Armed with the weapons of your instructions, I prepare myself to fight with Maya, both within the mind and without. Prabhupada said:'Fight with Maya means to drop thousands and millions of books into the lap of the conditioned souls. Just like during the war time the bombs are raining from the sky like anything' - Letter to Rameswara, 3 August 1973.
Thus, surrendering myself to the will of Lord Nityananda, I make humble attempts of assisting you in your mission.
On this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja, I beg for your causeless mercy, so that I may continue to serve you in whichever way you desire.
Your aspiring servant,
Dayamaya devi dasi. -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances on your Vyasa Puja day.
Yes, by your mercy only, I am still here trying to contribute to your life project of glorification of the most magnanimous incarnation Lord Caitanya and His associates. Its truly mystical with all the harshness and confusion of Kali Yuga that somehow by your spiritual fortitude, compassion and ultimately forgiveness you are able to expertly engage such a collage of diverse natures into tangible, productive devotional service.You recently spotlighted my stubborn streak which unfortunately you have had to tolerate patiently for so long. Lucky for me I think I have met my match with your determination and persistence. At least by staying under your shelter I feel some slackening of the shackles of such a cruel and unforgiving master as my stubborness. Thanks to your tireless encouragement you have managed to engage me in serving and supporting the preaching activities of my many sacrificing God- brothers and sisters to some small degree. Now as I am about to embark in serving the rural branch of the ever expanding sankirtana network I am ever hopeful of discarding more of my inner enemies and experiencing the satisfaction of humble service.
My own aspiring devotional position can feel vulnerable and most uncertain. If it wasn't for your unflinching support and protection I would become like the riven cloud disapating in the winds of nescience. I pray this lost soul can one day take advantage of the highest benediction of your association and become qualified to serve your lotus feet with an open heart.
Your aspiring servant,
Dayavira das -
Dear Srila Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obiesances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
When instructing Yudhistira Maharaja, Yamaraja explained "Mahajano yena gatah sa pantah: one should follow in the footsteps of great personalities".
We experience that without the guidance and blessings of ones spiritual masters there can be no progress in spiritual life - yasya prasad bhagavat prasadan. I am realising by Krishna's mercy that I am very fortunate to of come into your good association and thus have the opportunity to engage in devotional service. You have been very kind to Karana Karana d.d and I by taking time to guide and inspire us in Krsna's service. I am taking the opportunity of the most auspicious event of your Vyasa-puja to try and express my gratitude.
As my beloved diksa guru stated in his last letter to me "Furthermore, you have been accepted by the local devotees and Devamrta Maharaja, so that is also acceptable to Krishna." This is the transcendental system of being sheltered by the Lords internal energy and it is a wonderful personal system of service in relationship with you. I pray that I may be able to be of service to you and through that service become pleasing to my Gurumaharaja and Srila Prabhupada.
your servant,
Dharma-setu das -
Nama om visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhu tale
Srimate Devamrita swamin iti namine
Pracare purva daksyam ca
bhaktacara pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Please, acept my humble obeinsances unto the dust of his lotus feet
All glories, Dear gurudev!! on this auspiciosus day!
First about all with all my heart, that you recovering of his health, Gurudev would be good. I pray and think about this every day.
Just now,watching how devotes chanting, talking so nicely, here at the BBT's office, expressing their feelings by their feeelings for their spiritual master, It's a meeting of Bhakti Bhusana swami's disciples. And then,reflecting about that, I ask myself how to understand that feeling, even if I have to express that feeling, because there is no godbrothers here. Although the real importance of devotional service to Spiritual master trough of his instrucion, vani
How to get real understanding of his mercy.?The word guru-prasada indicates that the spiritual master is very merciful in bestowing the boon of devotional service upon the disciple. That is the best possible gift the spiritual master has to offer. Those with a background pious life are eligible to receive Life's supreme benefit and to bestow this benefit, The Supreme Personality of Godhead sends His representative to impart His mercy. Endowed with the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master distributes thje mercy to those who are elevated and pious
C.C. madhya lila 19.152, purport.
Now, since 6 months ago, I am just try to understand, trough of Srila Prabhupada's book
The wonderful qualities of you person Gurudeva. As soon as I read about your personality, how mantain your thinking and actions, with Krishna Consiousness and give a litlle bit of nectar to others, when you speak, dance, and recite the glories of Sri Gouranga.
Understanding all this , my goal would be a strict follower of your footsteps-The disciple should not not consider whether he is going back home, back to Godhead; his first business should be to execute the order of his spiritual master, and that is Perfectional meditation. Not only should he meditate upon that order, but he should Find out the means by which he can perfectly worship and execute it.-
SB 4.24.15 Purport
My dear Gurudeva, an any moment may I take with real resolution, follow your instructions? I pray, to Lord Nityananda who is personification of Mercy that let me mantain in the chant of holy name, thus, clean my mind and purify my intelligence, trough of the devotional service to vaisnavas, by this way, an any moment, may I please to his Holiness.
Thinking how to serve better trough of his instructions, your most appraised gift for each one of us, disciples and aspirants: Shelter of his lotus feet!
Blessed, kind, mercifull. All glories to you generous Gurudev!
I just pray to become a real follower and disciple
Your aspirant a servant,
Dharmaraj das -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on your auspicious vyasa-puja.
In the Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.54, the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself broadcasts the glories of His devotees.
sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sanga, sarva-sastre kaya, lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya."The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success".
A wonderful one-line purport follows this verse to emphasize the electrifying potency of a pure devotee: 'According to astronomical calculations, a lava is one eleventh of a second'.
Through the medium of contemporary topics, you present Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as the irrefutable goal of life & in this way, you jump-start the spiritual lives of so many people. We can feel when you roar, "Chant the Holy Name! Chant in Ecstasy!" quite positively electrified. Sometimes a devotee, if waning in enthusiasm in the kirtan, will hear you shout "Dance!" & lift off the ground as if hot coals have appeared under their feet. You are concerned that we taste the Holy Name by chanting vigorously in kirtan & chanting at least 16 rounds of japa in one sitting & our very efforts are powered by your enthusiasm. With your instructions you surcharge us with a mission that engages our intelligence, mind & senses. In this way, you give us connection to devotional service & life experience in Krishna consciousness by your divine & merciful association.
We can see by your constant efforts that you do not have a trace of interest in the material world, save & except for the deliverance of conditioned souls. It is said that a pure devotee treats everyone in such a way that they can ultimately get relief from material entanglement & this is your programme, around the clock. You have selflessly sacrificed your life for this service to your spiritual master.
Somehow I have gotten the great fortune of your association. I am swallowed by a feeling of unworthiness. Actually, great souls themselves are simply searching for the association of devotees like you. King Nimi (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.28) discloses,"O holy sages. I am just trying to find the path of well being for all living entities. A moments association with holy men is the most valuable thing in life, for that moment opens the path of advancement in spiritual life".
Please allow me to offer you my humble obeisances on this day with the prayer that I can engage fully in your service. Let me be your insignificant instrument, if you like- a positive conductor of your electrifying Krishna conscious energy. Let me honour the opportunity I have now to serve you by doing it with sense control, intelligence & humility- & whatever else you ask of me. I can understand that the service you extend to me is your great mercy. I am deeply grateful.Thank you Guru Maharaja.
Your servant,
Dina Dayala devi dasi. -
nama om visnu padaya krisna presthaya bhu tale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purva daksyam ca bhaktacara pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaj, please accept my humble obeisanses.
All glories to Srila Prabhupad!
At that day I would like to thank You for Your sincere example of pure
devotion to Your dear Guru - our lovely Srila Prabhupad. Your desire of
sincere devotional service to Krisna and Srila Prabhupad, and Your strong
desire to satisfy them, is eternal example for me. Your devotion to Lord
Chaytanya's mission, your self-sacrifice, Your full dedication to mission of
distribution of The Holy Name is admiring and inspiring to all of us. Thank
You for Your selfless service to Lord, for Your steady desire to awake memory
of Lord in every conditioned soul. I pray to Krisna that Your mercy never leave
me and always live in my heart with gratefulness and tryings to pay back to You
and to be usefull somehow in the mission of Your spiritual Master.
Always Your servant,
Dvaravati devi dasi. -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Realising how blinded I am by the darkness of material nature, I can see how lucky I am to have the shelter of a Spiritual Master such as yourself. Though I'm stubbornly attached to maya, you continue to ushering me towards Krishna. This is no special treatment; rather you treat everyone this way, devoid of discrimination.
I watch as you give yourself to your disciples and followers. "It's a labour of love" as you once said. Love for Prabhupada and Krishna, and love and dedication to Mahaprabhu's mission of spreading love of Krishna everywhere.
Quote from Srila Prabhupada, Los Angeles, June 23 1972:"Therefore the disciple's duty is to be ready always to serve the spiritual master, at any cost."
You embody this devoted attitude. I strive to follow your example, but instead I fumble, crumble and make mistakes at every turn. Still, by your unequalled compassion you allow me to continue to try. Like a father, sometimes you smile compassionately upon your bumbling son, and other times chaste me, but only ever to benefit me.
On this auspicious day of your Vyasa-puja, I beg for you to please continue to have me as one of your sons. Please allow me to remain within your family, and please let me continue to try to serve you, though I am riddled with many faults.
Your aspiring servant,
Dwayne -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances and gratitude for your generous, compassionate guidance. You have arranged a wonderful opportunity with the Gaura Yoga centre and devotees. You have provided what I dare to think of as the flavour of spiritual happiness, with this higher taste all else is now mundane.
I know that material nature is a cheat - promising satisfaction and never delivering. I pray for mercy in the form of determination, strength and courage to serve Krishna with heart and consciousness. I pray for humbleness and abhayam to surrender into the ocean of nectar of devotion.
Your aspiring servant
Ema -
Dear Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I wish I had the right words to explain how amazing your words are to me. Your lectures smash through gross impersonalist speculation and cut all who listen down to constitutional size - what to say of Perfect Escape and Searching for Vedic India. Perfect Escape inspired me to read Bhagavad-Gita straight through within the same week and to start following the four regulative principles. It was about that moment I realised I never want to leave Gaura Yoga.
Four months ago I wasn't worthy of a human form of life - now, I'm not worthy of your causeless mercy; by which I have the constant association of the most inspiring, caring and focused devotees and constant devotional service - the only useful asset a human could have. Your mercy feels like I tripped and fell into Vaikuntha. Leaving ISKON would be the most suicidal form of madness my mind can fathom. Thank you so much for showing me how to be human, though I wish I could accomplish such an objective.
karnadhara ivapare / bhagavan para-darsakahYou are like a captain of a ship in a great ocean and you can direct us to our destination.
SB 1.13.40
Your aspiring servant,
Erin -
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
shrimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashcatya-desha-tarine
nama om vishnu-padya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
shrimate devamrita svamin-iti namine
om ajnana timirandhasya
jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri guruve namah
Dear Gurudeva,
How unfathomable is the mercy of the Lord channeled down through His dear most devotees and how inconceivable are His plans for each of us. Due to our independent nature and galactic false egos we foolishly resist the cooling shade of the Holy name but somehow or other you have inserted your needle of love and pulled out the weeds of impersonalism with your plough of bhakti.
It would be easy for me to wallow in self pity and just float in the inertia of London life but Krsna in His kindness has given me your association and guidance. Your thought provoking words and subtle assault of my misconceptions and blurred vision are the ultimate expression of your love. How you willingly spend so much energy in nurturing us, tolerating us and even glorifying us are a testament to your love for Srila Prabhupada.
On this day I would like to thank you for all that you have done for me and for all that you continually do in guiding me on the path back home. I pray to never foolishly discard your instructions and be a true representative of your mood and mission. Let me never consider my relationship with you as mundane or trivial and bless me to continually strive to serve the devotees and Srila Prabhupada.
Your eternal servant
Gaura Kishore das -
My dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you, my beloved father, on your divine appearance day.
As you so vividly describe in your Perfect Escape, "Conditioned existence means to hand over power of attorney for our life to the mind and false ego. Then we just sit back and watch the synthetic show, as material nature drags the poor living entity through different bodies, species and planets."
Here you illuminate material life really means no life at all, just a horrific ride through the machine of material existence.
You have given me life Guru Maharaja.
You have given me a goal - to reawaken my dormant loving service attitude for Krishna and His devotees. I Thank you.
You have given me a mission - to assist you in giving Krishna consciousness to others. I Thank you.
You have given me the Holy Name - the means by which I can purify my consciousness and glorify Krishna. I Thank you.
You have given me devotee association - a most rare and valuable gift. I Thank you.
You have given and me personal instruction - a way which I can try to please you and always be with you. I Thank you.
You have given me a dynamic service program - always challenging me so I'll depend on your mercy more and more. I Thank you.
You have given me Srila Prabhupada's books - a way to sharpen my intelligence and receive His association. I Thank you.
You have given me so much personal care and attention - in such a loving supportive and encouraging way you always urge me to jump the hurdles of my conditioning. I Thank you.
You have given me everything Gurudeva, and I know my reciprocation and appreciation is meager. I feel sorry. But I thank you that you never push me away for my inability to serve you even a fraction of the extent you deserve.
I have definitely proved I have the capacity to be an obedient servant by serving maya for lifetimes without deviation. But I no longer want to do that. Due to your causeless mercy I no longer want to be allured away from Krishna's service, nor do I want to assist maya in her service of alluring the conditioned souls away from their inherent Krishna consciousness.
So judging by my past history of obediently serving maya, I want that my life be dedicated to being your pure and obedient servant. I long to be able to reciprocate with all that you are giving me, although I know this to be an impossible task. And even though you have given me everything, I humbly ask from you the strength and intelligence to take advantage of all you have given me, so I may endeavor to repay my debt to you. Please take power of attorney for my life and engage my head and heart energies in your service without cessation.
Aspiring to be your selfless servant,
Gaura-arati dasi -
Nama Om vishnu padaya, krsna prestaya bhutale,
Srimate Devamrta swamin iti namine
Pracare purva daksam ca, bhaktacara pravinata
parathatapi karunyam, yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Devamrta Swami Maharaja,
please accept my prostrated obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet, on this, the most auspicious day of your appearance.
This year I was given the great fortune to witness the fruits of your mercy and expertise while living, and trying to serve in Auckland. Arriving, I was simply amazed at all of the arrangements you had labored for to serve Srila Prabhupada. Living with your disciples I was able to appreciate, to the degree I'm able to, your loving care as father to those who would accept it.
The wonderful facility of 'The Loft' that I had heard so much about, inspired me. Sheltering and reaching out to poor conditioned souls, wounded by todays non-stop attack on the senses and pressures for so called happiness. The blissful kirtans, nectarean prasad, sweet, caring interactions, Krsna katha and expert management, manifesting from your desire to deliver the conditioned souls. Expertly packaging Krishna Conciousness for todays troubled youth to swallow, ingest, and relish.
The Bramhacari ashrama. Young men, given the greatest opportunity to hear and chant about Krsna. To cultivate their devotional qualities and distribute Mahaprabhus mercy by the pallet load in the form of Srila Prabhupadas books. Prasadam growing right out the window. Binding together, encouraging one another, working as one under your able thumb.
Thank you for giving me that opportunity.
At times I am full of regret, having failed your instructions.
Other times I am hopeful, hearing from you, witnessing your power, remembering your kindness to me.
On this day I beg for a drop of your mercy, that I may somehow maintain some connection, be allowed some shelter, despite my insubordination, my disregard, my lack of trust and faith, the offenses I have made.
You are an ocean of auspicious qualities, receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. I offer my respectful obeisances unto you Guru-maharaja, and beg to remain your aspiring servant and disciple.
Glenn -
Dearest Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances
all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The materialists may have all the material comforts of a nice big home in the North shore of Auckland, great views, a flash car, a garden to enjoy in and of course a boat in the drive way, yet still we see they aren't satisfied they always want more and more. Expanding where possible to get optimum sense enjoyment.
In the chapters of Dhruva Maharaja it describes a devotee to be devoid of all Kaman 'desires for sense gratification'. He is anyabhilasita-sunya 'devoid of all desires for sense gratification', his only aim is to satisfy or gratify the senses of the Lord.
The materialist are trying to increase facilities for better enjoyment and are always making arrangements for trying to satisfy himself, but you are anyabhilasita-sunya devoid of desire for trying to satisfy yourself, instead you are constantly making plans and schemes and empowering others to plan and scheme ways to ensure Krsna will get optimum top quality sense enjoyment.
This is apparent to me in the past two years.Here in Wellington the kitchen has had to double in size along with everything within it, as did our cars, our ashrams, temple room, book store rooms and morning programmes. What to speak of the improvement and increase of the Kirtans, Prasadam distribution and book distribution. After the appearance of 50,000 Srimad Bhagavatams and 3 book marathons this year, tiny New Zealand became top 5 in the world in book distribution in both June and August.
And you look at us asking "how is this all happening"? You blame us saying "were creating so many preaching opportunities which is keeping you so busy."
But its a known fact your to blame for all this expansion, increase and improvement. Its because your always trying to keep us on our toes by encouraging and begging us "lets do more for Krsna, lets do it better for Krsna, lets go deeper in our Krsna consciounsess, let us move forward in our Krsna consciousness.
So its obvious why this tiny country and its inhabitants our becoming transformed...
Its by your crystal clear desire to please Srila Prabhupada, your desire to give people the best opportunity for becoming Krsna conscious, the best opportunity to grow in Krsna consciousness and the best opportunity to give Krsna consciousness to others.
Its your mission statement that is the driving force empowering majority of the preaching successes here in the New Zealand.
But you never allow us to think we reached the peak, rather you tell us "this is just the beginning", "there is so much more to do", "look at our small efforts."
By your strong desire to simply satisfy Krsna's senses you are always ensuring our lives are full with service which simultaneously icreases Krsna's satisfaction and is challenging and dynamic for us so that we are left feeling helpless and needy of your mercy.
Krsna consciousness is pouring forth in your every word and action.
Please let me take every day to come as another opportunity to thank you for your wonderful example of Krsna consciousness.
Please allow me to put aside my monstrous desires for satisfying myself and once and for all assist you whole heartily in your mission to transform the peoples lives and enter into their hearts.
Your insignificant servant
Gokula Lila devi dasi -
nama om visnupadaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurumaharaj,
Please accept my most humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupad!
All glories to auspicious appearance day of yours!
I lack adequate eloquence to glorify your wonderful activities. Throughout the year, year after year, you are spreading the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through out the world. Even though you are faced with difficulties, you are fighting like a worrier against the onslaught of materialism in the hearts of unfortunate souls of this age. This year I was extremely surprised to see you giving lectures in New Nandagram with full of vigor and energy irrespective of your health problems. I wonder how much personal inconveniences you tolerate for the pleasure of your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupad. By following the footsteps of your spiritual master you teach others how to perform devotional service."Whenever an acarya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, he establishes the principles of religion, as enunciated in Bhagavad-Gita. Religion means abiding by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Religious principles begin from the time one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the acarya's duty to spread a bona fide religious system and induce everyone to bow down before the Supreme Lord."
Purport: 4.28.48
The meaning of the above purport is evident in your life and activities. As your pranam-mantra says you demonstrate expertise in acara and pracara of the devotional service unto the Sri Sri Rdaha and Krishna.
I am fortunate that you have given me shelter at your lotus feet despite all my disqualifications. You are concerned about each and every step in my life, even though many times even I am not concerned about myself. You have instructed me regarding my chanting to my Ph.D studies. Whatever a little service I perform is completely dependent on your mercy. You acknowledge, appreciate and correct, if required, even for small services that I carry forward. You tolerated my foolish actions during my service.
I am unable to reciprocate to your compassion on me. So, I beg for strength to carry forwards your instruction with full heart, faith and dedication.
Aspiring to be your servant,
Gopa-vrndesa Dasa -
Dear Guru Maharaja.
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your lotus feet.
In this creation, the material world, lies the unlimited wealth of devotional service - hidden to the covered living entities. At each step there are unlimited opportunities to engage ourselves and others in the service of the divine couple, Sri Sri Raddha-Vallabha. Unfortunately, not many souls can see this opportunity. And those who do see it may not know the best way to engage in service - for their benefit and for the spreading of Srila Prabhupada's Krishna consciousness movement, assisting other conditioned souls in reawakening their dormant relationship with Krishna.
You are very expert at performing both of these activities. You are enthusiastically helping to awaken the conditioned souls and bestow upon them the pure nectar of devotional service. And when these conditioned souls come to light and once again feel the desire to engage in devotional service you guide them, teaching them the best way to engage in service according to their nature and capabilities. It is these two talents, among the many that you possess, that is bringing so many conditioned souls back to Krishna's service.
You create a sense of responsibility, self sufficiency and dependency within the devotees. Now it may sound contradictory being self sufficient and dependent at the same. Within the realm of bhakti-yoga it is the chanting of Hare Krishna that is the soul food for the devotees - they cannot live without it. You teach us how to chant and how to become dependent on the holy names for our sustenance and inspiration. Also, you teach us how to be responsible for our own material and spiritual life. No one else can chant our japa mala for us, therefore you have taught us responsibility and self sufficiency to take care of ourselves spiritually by building a dependence on the holy names and therefore opening the doors to the spiritual realm, Goloka-dhama.
These things you have taught us, not only what devotional service is, but how to practice it. Not only how to practice it, but how to practice it so that we can, for the rest of this life and our future lives, always be engaged in Krishna's service. This gift you have given us is the greatest boon. We are eternally indebted to you for this.
Thank you for teaching us these valuable tools. You have equipped us to the hilt, our bhakti yoga tool box is full to the brim, with everything we need to help ourselves and help others in their devotional service. Please bless us so that we can take full advantage of everything you have given us. You have given us so much, you have given us everything. Please bless us so that we can carry, deep within our hearts, everything that you have taught us and encourage others to follow the same path.
Your servant,
Gopala Guru dasa -
Hare Krishna Dear Gurudev.
Please accept my humble obeysenses.
All glory to Srila Prabhupada, All glory to your lotus feet.
I'll try to say something in these glorious day- main day in disciples life. I'd like to congratulate
you with your birthday, and thank you for your kindness, thank you that you are teaching me, giving me write direction, this is very important for me as for person and as for disciple. This is write position when disciple follows instructions of spiritual master. Issuer to live when I have direction, Gurudev giving me instruction and Aditi dukhaha correct me at daily life. I realize that I am not perfect disciple, because I am not enough absorb to thinking about my relationship with gurudev, I think that I should think how to do gurudevs instructions better, how to dedicate all my life to mission
that gurudev gave me. You told me that I that I should help to Aditi Dukhaha, make my life with temple life and become valuable member of our fraternity. Please correct me if I wrong. I try to realize your instructions, I thinking about it and pray to Krishna that let this moment will come when you say: "thank you Krishna that you gave me such wonderful disciple". Please help to surrender to you completely. Please instruct me, Please take care of me, I need you. Please teach me, how to ask guru, what is write questions.
Thank you. Hare Krishna.
your usless disciple Goparaj DAS. -
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Guru maharajah offering 2007. Take seven..ty.
I wanted to be sastric and show you how much you've taught me. I wanted to be funny and make you laugh out loud. I wanted to be serious and show you I'm sincere. I wanted to be poetic and have you think I'm clever.
But you'd just see through it. I'm not much of a scholar, nor particularly funny. Sincerity is a jacket I wear and as you can see, I can even make YOUR offering about ME.
Guru Maharajah, you're like a knight in saffron, who, boarding his trusty steed, "boa-ing 747", takes up his sword of mercy and cuts down souls dangling in the noose of materialism mere moments before they take their last gasp. God only knows how blunt your sword must have been by the time you'd hacked through my entangled case - nor the immense patience it is taking to coax me back down everytime I clamber back up to re-hang myself.
Guru Maharaja my mind is under the control of powerful sences, and again I find myself reaching for the 'safety' of my homely noose. Save your sword for the truly sincere souls, just please throw a bucket of ice water over this slobbering gutter drunk and make me your humble servant. Such is your power.
Your white servant
Gopesvari dd -
Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances at the speck of dust at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I feel an urge of ecstasy over taking my body as I think of being part of your holiness's community. You have bestowed a lot of mercy upon me and I have been blessed by your personal instructions. I do not understand why I have been made an emblem of your mercy but it is true that a vaishnava is free to act independently- as he pleases in regards to whom he bestows his grace upon. Thank you for taking up the task of giving me support for my deliverance-this is the magnanimous action in all the three worlds.
Thank you gurudeva, for coming to deliver me. My only desire is that I may act according to your desires- unconditionally and in this way, Srila Prabhupada will also be pleased upon me-by your wishes. I long to take darshna of you at every moment gurudeva, to see your most charming, wonderful smile which brightens up the whole world.
As Thakur Bhaktivinoda prays to his Lord Gopinath,in the same way I wish to repeat some of those words back to you.'You are indeed the wisest person. Please look for a way to bring about auspiciousness for this fool, and please do not consider this servant an outsider.'
'Oh gurudeva, my mind is crazy and does not care for any authority. It is always senseless and has remained in the dark pit of worldly affairs.'
I beg for your mercy, just for the opportunity to please you. You gurudeva, are my only qualification.
Aspiring to serve the feet of the servants of the servants, in your humble service
Gopi -
nama om visnu padaya
krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrta
swami iti namine
pracare purvam daskyam ca
bhaktacara pravinita
para ta tapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
As you have kindly complimented many devotees material parents with the line "if the fruit is good, the tree must be good" I look around me at all your disciples with heartfelt reverence. Very typical kali-yuga refugees, few possessed any great skills, much less saintly qualities, but by the power of your association - or more specifically your compassion, your wisdom, your contemporary style, your tenderheartedness, your dog-gone persistence and your saintly patience - your disciples are transforming from rif raf to dignified ladies and gentlemen, in both skills & qualities.
As the phases of my life are changing I find myself standing at the edge of the fire of devotional service. The fire that you have so expertly set ablazing in your centres for all your disciples to envelop themselves in.
In Krsna book Srila Prabhupada explains that generally householders are very poor-hearted. They think that engaging in family affairs is their prime duty and that self-realisation or enlightenment in spiritual knowledge are secondary. Out of compassion only, saintly persons and brahmanas go to the home of householders.
Guru Maharaja please enter our homes and our hearts for many years to come and help us to keep selfishness at bay. I pray to you, please keep this tiny spark from straying too far from the fire.
Your wanna-bee servant bee,
Guru vani dd.
P.S. please forgive me for this very late & simple offering. My excuses are febble. -
nama om visnu padaya krsna prestaya bhutale
srimati devamrita swami iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam-ca bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah"I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Holiness Devamrita Swami who is very dear to Lord Krsna having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Obeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skills in preaching, competence in Vaisnava dealing, selflessness and compassion."
mukam karoti vacalam pangum langhayate girim
yat-krpa tam aham vande sri gurum dina-taranam"I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of all fallen souls, whose mercy turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains."
Dear Gurudeva,
I humbly beg at your lotus feet on this day of your auspicious appearance to bestow upon this illiterate fool the ability to properly offer my respects unto you. Coming from such a degraded background many times worse than that of Jagai and Madai, inexperienced and unqualified, I am incapable to do anything without your blessings. Dhruva Maharaja was only a small boy, and upon seeing the Lord he was perplexed. He wanted to offer prayers at His lotus feet, but was unable to do so. I am definitely no Dhruva Maharaja, but in the same way I pray that I can please you with the right motivation, for your pleasure and for your glorification.
My mind is suffering from the pangs of pride, envy and lust. These concoctions encroach themselves like an ebbing tumor. The nature of the conditioned soul is to glorify oneself even in the midst of trying to glorify others, so thank you for tolerating my incompetence in this humble attempt to worship you. The mad mind involved with the false ego is the cause for bondage and suffering. "But the mind which is always engaged in Krsna consciousness is the cause of supreme liberation" (BG 6.5 purport). Indeed in the midst of this obstinate mind tormented by threefold miseries, you have engaged a wild animal in the transcendental activity of describing the unlimited qualities, forms and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. In the prayers of the gopis to Krsna, (SB 10.31.9) it stated:
Tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam"The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in the material world."
Gurudeva, you have given me back my life and soul. By the purity of your chanting, you are able to inspire others to also take up the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord. In this way you have soothed the burning passions of the mind and bestowed upon us the greatest wealth by which one becomes deathless.
Kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham, sravana-mangalam srimad atatam"These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicates ones sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon who ever hears them. These narrations are spread all over the world and are filled with spiritual power."
O leaned sage, by sincerely following Srila Prabhupada you have compassionately expanded the Holy name to others. You have saved the suffering of countless souls by removing their ignorance. You have introduced the method by which to uproot the real cause of our distress, perpetually changing the fate of what could have been the greatest disaster: being cast off into various demoniac species of life. We would have been in complete forgetfulness of Krsna and His devotees. What would life be like with out Krsna and His devotees! O great sage, you have dedicated your life to distributing Srila Prabhupada's books, fully convinced that these transcendental astras has the atomic power to guide the misguided masses producing a holocaust in their material lives and blowing them out of the dense dark well of material existence.
Bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah"Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."
Gurudeva, you have distributed thousands of these astras throughout the world, simply by your desire to spread this sankirtana movement and therefore you are most munificent! You are imbibing the mood of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu following in the footsteps of the previous acaryas; nothing can impede your way. This sankirtana movement is already victorious, there is no question of loss or defeat, because Lord Caitanya has already benefited us with this transcendental boon and it is generals like you who are spear heading this mission.
Tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam, Kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam, Bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah"
(SB 10.31.9)
Gurudeva, this verse has been a great solace for me in my sankirtana because it reminds me of your endeavors in successfully spreading Krsna consciousness all through out the world. Maharaja Prataparudra recited this verse to Lord Caitanya and He embraced him in ecstasy. But before he got the Lords association Maharaja Prataparudra was favored by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and the Lords devotees. Lord Caitanya would not see him because he was a worldly man, but after receiving the mercy of the devotees and engaging as a humble sweeper for Lord Jagannatha, only then did he get the Lords association.
Gurudeva, every day caught in the centre of a stubborn mind, I try to pray and beg to hear HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA, KRSNA KRSNA, HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE, that I to can be a humble servant of the Vaisnavas and develop a fraction of your humility so that I may be always engaged in menial service at your lotus feet. In this way I can remain aspiring to follow in your footsteps.
Determined to be your obedient and selfless servant,
Hriman Krsna -
Dear Guru Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Yasya prasadad bhagavat prasado, yasyaprasadan na gatihkuto 'piOne should strictly adhere to the instructions of the spiritual master, for if he is pleased, cerainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased.
During the past year I was trying to meditate on your instructions, listening to your classes in different parts of the world. I was thinking how to change my intention to please my mind and senses to please you. By your causeless mercy you gave me direction. Having instructions from your lectures and your personal example I can apply myself more deeper in Krsna Consciousness than before. By engaging my emotional side, my mind will have a chance to be strongly situated in spiritual life.
I am deeply grateful to Krishna and Srila Prabhupada for sending me such a loving, blissful, energetic and practical personality like yourself. Thank you Guru Maharaja for being my spiritual father. Please forgive my stupidity, false pride and egotism. Your mercy can penetrate the deep level of my ahankara.
Trying to become your useful servant,
Indranath das
-
Todas las Glorias a Sri Guru Gouranga
Todas las Glrias a Srila Prabhupada
Querido Gurudeva:
Por favor acepte mis mas humildes y respetuosas reverencias.
Todas las Glorias sean a Ud. en este dia tan auspicioso, de su aparicion.
Yo tan solo quiero agradecerle por su misericordia,y preocupacion por una discipula tan poco destacada como yo, aunque muchas veces no entiendo, o no quiero entender, como da su misericordia, le agradezco, su preocupacion y dedicacion. Sus actividades son ejemplares, siempre dando Conciencia de Krsna, y subiendo el estado de conciencia de los devotos y personas que se encuentran con Ud. Su predica es tan honesta, sin cosas encubiertas, que es muy impactante y afortunado escuchar la verdad de como explica la Conciencia de Krsna, y como vivir sin olvidar la meta superma de la vida y como estar dia a dia sin olvidar que somos sirvientes eternos de Krsna y sus devotos.
Muchas gracias Gurumaharaja y por favor perdone por ser una devota, que tan facilmente olvida, y que no tiene rasgos de algun dia sentir un afecto y apego sincero por el Señor y sus devotos.
Su sirvienta
Jai Sri Radhe dd -
My Dear Srila Gurudev!
Please accept my bows by Your lotus feet!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!
Accept, please, my congratulations this day Your divine phenomenon. Thank You, that You came in this world. Thank You, that You came in this movement. Thank You, that You rescue us, Your disciples, from maya and give us the
divine association.
Last time is hard for me on soul and I not absolutely well feel myself. I did not see You more year. I receive association from other spiritual masters, they very much help me, but I very much need association with You.
I understand, that it is a level of neofit, and actually You are present at the instructions. But I am still far from perfect and very much I need in seeing You directly and to hear You.
I become sentimental, probably, it is connected to old age of a body. Earlier I very seldom cried. Now tears appear as soon as I recollect You, Yours kirtans and Your spiritual brothers. Last time I frequently deep in
thought. I think about the spiritual life, I think of with what we become, we are Your disciples. On Your causeless mercy all Your disciples whom I know, have very appreciablly exchanged in the best side. They are full of enthusiasm in spiritual life and always aspire to improve the consciousness of Krishna. I try to not lag behind them, but at me it badly turns out. It is very a shame to me, that I treat to not to the most useful disciples, can be for this reason to me now so there is no association with You.
One shift at me all the same is. This heart. It becomes soft. All this due to Your sight. Each evening when I say goodbye to You till the next morning and I offer You result of past day, You look at me with infinite understanding and compassion. Under this sight my heart can not remain former. All internal and external changes which occur to me, occur on Your mercy. Without Your mercy I for a long time would turn to one continuous piece of ice, iron and concrete.
Thank You, that You force me to thaw.
Accept please, my wishes this day. Let this day will be filled with boundless love of Your disciples. Let your disciples will recollect all promises which they gave before initiation and will start them to carry out, that You never did not suffer any more from their forgetfulness and carelessness. Let all of us become more responsible and serious.
Please, be cautious, take care and let Krishna always protects You in this way.
Always your useless disciple trying while it is ineffectual to become useful
Jana Mohini d.d. -
Dear GuruMaharaja,
Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance in this world!
I like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my most glorious spiritual master, Devamrita Swami, who has so kindly given me the shelter of his lotus feet.
Being lost in an ocean of material desires, you came to rescue me from yet another (human) form of life, being wasted in passion, ignorance and illusion.
Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.1. explains:"Human life means voluntarily practicing suffering in the form of austerities and penances for the advancement of spiritual life. ... To relieve them from this bondage and enable them to become blissful and happy, bhakti-yoga should be taught."
You have so kindly given me the opportunity to engage in this bhakti-yoga process, which is the real success in life.
S.B. 4.30.37. explains:"There are two kinds of devotees. One is called gosthanandi and the other bhajananandi. ... The gosthanandi is one who desires to increase the number of devotees all over the world. He travels all over the world just to purify the world and the people residing in it. ... Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted His followers to move all over the world to preach in every town and village."
We are so very fortunate to have a living example from our spiritual master, who shows his disciples the real welfare work for humanity.
I pray on this day that you may bless me with a deeper understanding as to how to give this message of love of God to everyone I meet.
And to enable me to develop real compassion for all living entities.
Amidst the duality of opposing elements, may I always remember your unflinching faith and devotion to your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, and all the previous acaryas.
S.B. 4.22.47 explains:"Knowledge of Krsna is such a great gift that it is impossible to repay the benefactor. ... 'vinoda-patram' means 'joker' ... A joker's activities simply arouse laughter, and a person who tries to repay the spiritual master or teacher of the transcendental message of Krsna becomes a laughingstock just like a joker because it is not possible to repay such a debt. ... The best friend and benefactor of all people is one who awakens humanity to its original Krsna consciousness."
How fortunate are we to have you Guru Maharaja, as our best friend and well-wisher!
Please enable me to understand this fully so that I may be able to become a better servant of the servant of your servant.
Your forever indebted aspiring servant of your servant,
Janesvari devi dasi -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you, because you are spreading the greatest gift of Krishna consciousness all over the world in a most expert way, making it palatable and easily accessable to the mad people of this age, such as myself. You are so merciful that you are engaging even an ignorant fool like me in assisting you in your missions. You have allowed me to to live in the fire of the preaching mission, to witness people become naturally attracted to Krishna consciousness in relaxed association with devotees.
Thank you for your patience and for letting me stay in this enlivening atmosphere, even though I do not take full advantage of my situation. I'm sorry for not living up to your expectations. Please don't take my lack of enthusiasm and heart felt action to mean I don't appreciate all you have done for my family, friends and me. You have made my mum so happy, and been so kind to us both. But I know the best way to show gratitude is through one's actions. You are demonstrating how a devotee should act by your selfless actions, giving so much time, thought, assistance, classes and enlivening kirtans, even when you are not physically well.
Only because of your kindness and association have I been able to keep practicing Krishna consciousness. By your mercy the clouds of ignorance in my consciouness have greatly discipated, my more debilitating addictions have disappeared, and I have become happy. I can't even begin to repay you without being allowed to engage in your service and that of your servants. I am in a completely reliant condition and although I don't deserve it, you have given me shelter, just like Lord Caitanya came and freely gave His mercy to the conditioned souls. I am obviously incapable of glorifying you as you deserve, your glories being unknown to me, but please accept this offering, as a small step towards your service.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhaktin Jessie. -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
One morning during a Christmas marathon I drove you to the Brahmacari ashram in Auckland to give a morning class. You spoke about praying for Lord Caitanya's mercy. After class I drove you to a place to get your drivers license renewed. It was busy so we went to Gribblehurst Park in Sandringham where Srila Prabhupada used to walk and chant and we chanted there for about an hour. I sat on the bench as you walked around the rose gardens chanting.Then we returned for your license renewal and it was 1pm by the time I got back to my place, I was thinking, "Its too late to go out on books now." Then I thought about you and knew that you would not be pleased with such thinking, so I headed off to the nearest town, Onehunga.
On the way I was thinking about class and started chanting out loud, "Caitanya! Caitanya! Caitanya!" I packed my books into the trolley and carried on chanting, "Caitanya!" until I reached the spot. There was an old Indian man working in the shop there. He was always happy to see me distribute books. I was still chanting, "Caitanya!" and things went crazy. I distributed all the books in the box and in the car, then the old man came out of the shop really excited. He said, " You have been very busy today!" I thanked him and he bought a small book. When I got home my son and daughter got inspired and decided they wanted to come out on books too. Chanting, "Caitanya, Caitanya!" we went to a local carpark where I watched them distribute a few books each and they were so excited.
Thankyou Guru Maharaj, thankyou for giving this family an opportunity to serve you. The service of Lord Caitanya is certainly your life and soul.
Your humble servant,
Jhulan Yatra das -
namo om visnu padaya
krsna presthaya bhutale
srmati devamrita
svami iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca,
bhaktacara-pravinata,
pararthatapi karunyam,
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my most humble obeisances.
All glories to you!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Guru Maharaj, from the moment I saw you, I knew that my spiritual life will be taken care of. You continue to inspire me so much, I remember every time I ask you if I can do anything for you, you always reply with an assurance that everything will be alright "just concentrate on your sadhana". This is your greatness, that all you want me to do is engage in Krsna Consciousness.
Guru Maharaj, I cannot thank you enough, I don't think I can ever, but I hope this life onwards can serve as a big thank you to you. When I first met you, you were the first person I revealed my mind to you fully-all my negatives, I cannot understand why and how I just told you everything, but I did and you just nodded so compassionately and gave me so much advice on what to do. Since then my whole life has changed, you remind me by your activities and presence that Krsna Consciousness is beautiful, its blissful, its dynamic!
Today, Krsna sent you to us, you out of your unlimited compassion and mercy took this unfortunate soul and took him under your shelter, I have no hope to develop good qualities, nor do a stand a chance in surrendering my false ego, but you see something in me that can be engaged in Krsna Consciousness, you are the foremost expert in seeing my nature just like a doctor who can tell what disease a patient has and prescribes a suitable medicine.
O spiritual father, I wish to offer you my heartfelt gratitude, I hope I can become a genuine spiritual son one day, and I know this is all you ask of me.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhakta Jitesh -
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your lotus feet. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
On this special occasion I would like to thank you for everything.
Although I have only known you for a short time in this life time, you have done a great deal for me.
Simply by following your instructions I have been making my life closer to the path of perfection.
I wish that your divine grace be my guide in Krishna's service for eternity.
Please bestow your blessings upon me.
Your insignificant, aspiring, servant.
Bhakta Kamran -
Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
"I was born in the darkness of ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him"
From the depths of my heart, I would simply and sincerely like to say thank you for everything...
Thank you for giving your saintly association , which the Bhagavatam praises so highly. It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.18.13;"The value of a moment's association with the devotee of the Lord cannot be compared even with the value of attainment of heavenly planets or becoming birthless (liberation from matter) and what to speak about worldly benedictions in the shape of material prosperity of persons who are meant for death."
I wish I could put aside my false ego and take full advantage of your association.
Thank you for taking up the austerity of accepting the fallen and degraded souls of kali-yuga, and taking on the reactions of so many sinful activities, only for the sake of leading us back home, back to Godhead.
I wish I could really understand your greatness.
Thank you for over and over again presenting the truth to us, who have been immersed in sense gratification for many millions of lifetimes. Foolish and proud, still we haven't given up the hopes for this flickering happiness. Expertly and boldly you declare;You will all die, what are you going to do with your life?
There is no real happiness out there! There is no true love in material life!
Don't waste time; engage in blissful service to the all auspicious Lord, Sri Krishna;
Start today and increase, increase, increase!
Please use all your energies in Krishna's service and save nothing for Maya.
Please simply dedicate merely one lifetime to Lord Caitanya's mission.
It is possible, simply keep on going, keep on going and keep on going...
Keep on chanting, please hear that sweet holy name!
I wish I could make these instructions my life and soul, the only longing of my heart.
Thank you for so expertly arranging training, guidance and facilities to make it easy for us to grow and develop in Krishna consciousness.
I wish I could understand how I am completely dependent on your mercy.
Thank you for being so patient and tolerant, giving each person just as much as he/she can take.
I wish I could eradicate all my false pride and selfishness and let you cut all my attachments off.
Thank you for taking up Srila Prabhupada's mission so sincerely and pushing all preaching activities, teaching us to make this the basis of our lives.
I wish I could merely work as your instrument, helping you in your mission.
Thank you for being the best spiritual father; so loving and caring and personal in your dealings.
I wish I could please you and serve you.
Trying to be your servant /Karuna-Purna -
Dear Guru maharaja.
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Nama om visnu padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate Devamrita Swami Itinamine.
Hare krishna guru maharaja, my offering this year is to just thankyou for this last visit to soho which was really great and inspiring, I hope you can come back many many more times and wake us up with your classes I pray for you to attain full health for traveling and preaching, and I hope to be able to fullfill your desires by chanting and dancing more vibrantly...
your servant
Kasinatha das -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet on this holy day of your appearance.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Your glories are unlimited, but allow me to attempt to delineate the few I can perceive of:
I wish to express my eternal gratitude for...- Your instruction and guidance
"My path is very difficult. I am blind, and my feet are slipping again and again. Therefore, may the saints help me by granting me the stick of their mercy as my support." - Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami
- Your corrections and chastisements
- Your personal example, displaying beyond a doubt that service to Guru and Krishna is the lifestyle to have - full of fresh taste and variety at every moment
- Your ever-fresh service attitude
- Your vibrant explosive kirtans that send us all flying
- Your painstaking love and care for us all
- Your heartfelt urging that we care for ourselves - by chanting Hare Krishna and reading Prabhupada's books, keeping engaged in service (best if selfless)
- Your love for book distribution and concern that it always continues
- Your compassionate outreach to all lost souls, so artfully tailored to their conditioning
- Your teaching us what real love is, and what it isn't (the part we're hung up on)
- Your hours and hours of classes, teaching with electrifying precision our most needed lessons
- Your inspired humour that makes the spiritual path so fun, although so serious
- Your illumination of our internal obstacles and attachments
- Your treatments to assist their uprooting!
- Your intelligent, experience-laced solutions to all problems
- Your absorption in, assimilation, teaching and glorification of Prabhupada's books
- Your attentive training of us your spiritual children
- Your appreciation of Vaishnava-sanga
- Your spiritual vision of us, urging us to awaken our real potential
- Your precise utility of every moment in Krishna's service
- Your full-hearted investment in every service opportunity
- Your surrender to your spiritual master's desires, which qualifies you as an empowered representative of the parampara
- Your appreciation of our childish attempts to serve you
- Your life example -- an uninterrupted expression of pure love for Srila Prabhupada, Krishna and His fragmental parts
"O all-merciful spiritual master, representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when will my mind be completely surrendered unto your lotus feet? At that time, only by your mercy, I shall be able to get relief from all obstacles to spiritual life, and I shall be situated in blissful life." (Sripada Sridhara Svami, quoted in Prayers of the Personified Vedas)
I beg for the benediction to dedicate every moment for your pleasure. May my life be your time to use. How else can I attempt to repay this debt I owe to you except by laying down my life. Certainly it is plain to see that I imagine in illusion that time belongs to me and I can do with it as I want for my pleasure. Please bless me with the insight to see this is not so and transform all moments into action for your pleasure alone - my mind completely surrendered unto your lotus feet. It is possible to live on the transcendental platform even in grihastha ashram you encourage, but it takes work. If all activities and discussion are for your service alone, I can see how it is possible.
I wish that I could communicate the beautiful gift that you have given me to others Gurudev, following in the mood of your own inspired preaching. Please bless me with some intelligence and inspiration to do so.
If only these lost souls knew the flavour of even insignificant service at your lotus feet, then they would join us and dance like "jubilant peacocks"!
Your ever-aspiring servant and daughter,
Khadiravan devi dasi - Your instruction and guidance
-
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble,respectful obeisances on this auspicious day of your appearance
Again requesting to remain in the glittering dust of your lotus feet.
Praying that this offering is appropriate and worthy of your inspection.
Every year, come offering time,I question my motives ,qualifications and realizations.
I am attempting to offer you words that do justice in describing what a truly great personality you are!
Also I question how to phrase and place this offering to you.
This auspicious time is around again.The day that is totally dedicated to glorifying you. Of course everyday of the year is a chance to glorify you, but your appearance day is the pinicle.
The disciple needs to glorify the Guru for a few reasons-- To continue in the vaisnava tradition of glorifying devotees which ultimately pleases Krsna
- To learn humility,submissiveness and gratitude and to humbly submit oneself at the lotus feet of the Spirtual Master.
- To assist in heralding to the world that a pure representative of a bonafide disciplic succession exists and is giving tickets back to Godhead.
- To give the Guru heartfelt praise and appreciation.
Our Bramha Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava line, since time immemorial,has been constituted with praise and appreciation for the Guru, who, without connection with, or the pleasing of, would be an essential missing element to a conditioned souls reconnection with the primeval cause of all causes, the original Supreme personality of Godhead, Bhagavan Sri Krsna.
Guru tattva is no trivial issue.
Many great personages in the four sampradayas throughout history have discussed, applauded, praised and concluded that the glories of Guru and his connection with Krsna are quintessential and tantamount to not only the students who are serious about enlightenment, but to all existence, all persons-nay-all living beings for ALL TIME.
Scriptures glorify the Guru in many ways, Gurus glorify Gurus in many ways, Sadhus glorify Gurus in many ways. So many nectarian statements of glorification for the Guru grace the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. Kings, polititicians, sages, mendicants, prostitutes, princes, jail keepers and many other types have praise and recognition for the Spiritual master directly or indirectly.
An interesting point to note in Guru tattva is the Guru's God like trait, as Caitya Guru, of finding the wayward disciple, in any millennia, any universe, at any time, and both externally and internally aiding the disciples free will to rear his choices, from there on in, back to God consciousness and back to home.
The Guru places the disciple,like a flower,into a garland of flowers and places that garland around his own Gurus neck.
On the strength of Guru's mercy one is carried home.
On the will and desire of Gurudev one is recommended to enter again into the Spirtual world.
The disciple must be humble and submissive,obedient and chaste.
Gurudev, your crystal clear, Krsna conscious presentation along with the stern, loving, caring demeanour of an ideal father prods this wayward, mad, rebellious aspiring disciple closer and closer to the Kingdom of that all attractive, all knowing, all famous, completely renounced, all powerful, dazzlingly gorgeous dark boy, Krsna.
Your words echo through my head, LOUD AND CLEAR.
Words packed with potency, cutting through the illusions that bewilder me.
Your words are like saffron particles that grace the feet of the Supreme Lord.
Those particles are the Spiritual Masters voice which awakens love of God in the heart of the disciple.
Everything you say about Krsna is laiden with realization and spiritual potency and these words, and nothing else, remain clear and are the guiding light for the lost soul whom you found somehow and somewhere drowning in material existence.
Desiring to please you
Knowing I cant fully repay you
Another prayer at your Lotus feet on this day
"Please bless me with understanding and ability to serve and please you, unconditionally"
Your worthless fool of an aspiring disciple
Khela-tirtha dasa -
nama om visnu padaja krishna prestaja
bhutale srimate devamrita swami iti namine
pracare purvadaksianca bhakta cara pravinara paratata
pikarunja ya se sarve cate namaha
ofrezco mis mas humildes y respetuosas reverencias alas sombras de sus dignos pies de loto mi querido gurudeva usted que es muy querido por la suprema personalidad de dios y por los vaisnavas. En este dÃa del aniversario de su aparición , agradezco a srila prabhupada a krishna por la misericordia que me dio al ponerlo en mi camino
mi querido padre
la primera ves que lo vi dije gracias krishna por haberme mandado a un alma auto realizada para que me ayude a ver el verdadero camino ya que estoy tan cubierta por maya y desde ese momento decidà servirlo y esperar siempre su misericordia a que me aceptara como su sirviente
mi querido padre , su mente esta siempre dirigida hacia la suprema personalidad de dios sin que se desvÃe a nada. Con la compasión que usted tiene por todos nos enseña a cambiar el objetivo. que el deseo no puede ser negado , pero en el servicio devocional el deseo de complacer los sentidos se lleva al servicio del señor. tan solo por su misericordia mi querido padre podemos llegar a krishna
dándonos siempre su ejemplo e inspiración a seguir adelante , con determinación . es usted mi fuente de inspiración, enseñándome que es la verdadera asociación , la etiqueta a seguir , el comportamiento de un vaisnava, atravez de su ejemplo y siempre instruyéndonos a cooperar entre nosotros. es maya si peleamos y srila prabhupada dice que el peligro de pleitos entre nosotros es mucho peor que el peligro de nuestras luchas con los demonios ,permita me, mi querido padre, conservar esta instrucción en mi corazón y acciones, en un darsan que tuve con usted me ayudo mucho al instruirme que siempre me ponga en el lugar de la otra persona , aveces pienso pero es difÃcil , pero no es imposible
mi querido padre
cuando hay algo que me esta afligiendo tan solo por recordarlo se disipan todas mis aflicciones gracias por siempre estar protegiéndome y tan bien a todas las demás almas condicionadas como yo
en este dÃa de su aparición, le oro a krishna como mi salvador ,por favor mi querido padre bendigame al permitirme permanecer siempre en su servicio devocional vida tras vida.
su aspirante a sirviente
kirtidevi devi dasi -
Dear Gurumaharaja,
namo om visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrta swamin iti namine
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet on this
most auspicious anniversary of your appearance.
Vyasa Puja day is a chance to make an offering to the glorious personality
who represents Srila Vyasadeva. Guru is one principal but is manifested in
many. But among the many, there is one whom takes ultimate responsibility
for the disciple. This guru among others formalises, empowers, educates,
authorises and shapes the disciples spiritual progress under an emblem of
care and compassion which coaxes gently, but will ultimately drag the
disciple willing or not back to the eternal service of the Supreme Lord
Krishna by a combination of the above methods, and much more.
Gurumaharaja, I am conscious of the fact that I am a poor disciple of
yours, I am seriously lagging behind my godbrothers and sisters, I have
zero sincerity and I am lazy. But even though this is my condition, which
is pretty damning, you have so far refused to let me squander my good
fortune.
I have wandered all over this universe in inumerable bodies, sometimes
high, sometimes low, sometimes possessing great opulences, positions,
material bodies comprised of different predominating elements on different
planets accordingly, sometimes the winner or the loser, sometimes the
victim or the aggressor, sometimes right and sometimes wrong. But always
in maya, and always not where I really belong.
Somehow, now, by the grace of the Lord and His empowered servants, by the
Grace of Srila Prabhupada, I have been captured just when I was ready to
do another trillion loop da loops in samsara. I was captured and brought
into the association of devotees, and amongst these devotees I found you,
and simultaneously was found by you.
Gurumaharaja, your heart, your devotional conduct, your message, your
compassion, will be the primary force of transformation in my pityful
life. The grace which appears through the immediate causes of my
association with devotees, is granted by Krishna because I am favoured by
your acceptence of me as your aspiring disciple.
I believe that I am still an aspiring disciple because I am full of
faults. I have still to become full fixed on your instructions being the
fundamental components of my life and soul. You are supremely patient
because you still accept me despite this.
Dear Gurumaharaja, I always fall short in my attempt to glorify you. My
mission is to learn to act with such good conduct that my behaviour
glorifies you. I am still a baby in the devotional process and I pray to
continually receive your fatherly care in order to become an adult in
devotion to Sri Sri Radha Krishna and in service to their servants.
Please forgive my offenses,
your aspiring disciple,
Kishor Murti dasa -
Dear Maharaj
Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupad
We beg the blessings of our Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupad and Radha Vallaba for our humble attempts to glorify you on this occasion. Whatever I'm speaking here is by your grace....
As the commander in chief of the opposition I would like to address you all. Please remember we have to be clear about our mission in life 'Sense Gratification'. We have to understand ...Way on this side is Sense Gratification and Way on the Other Side is problems in life. When you see them separately, you win. This is our concept of 'Divide your vision to fulfil the mission'. Alright!
But hey!. We have got a very strong Opposition ... that's the Leader of the Hare's, his name is His Holiness Devamrita Swami ...when he is out there we got to be careful...
...Save your conditional life ... Save your Skin disease ...save your pockets .... Save your plans .....
This commander in chief is a Maha-Rathi .. he is both practical and powerful. He has his army dispersed all around the world. They consist of people from many walks of life. Did you know... he has people who were handi-capped and miserable that can't even move a small stick, they are now carrying mighty weapons
To save yourself we have to carefully study this leader of our enemy Camp.
He wonderfully nourishes his battalion by his glorious and expert practical guidance.
He is a fearless speaker of the truth. He gives them torches to see themselves and our soldiers. He is straight to the point of making them understand where they are and where we are. By his mercy they can discriminate and progress to the front-line very easily. Sometime although things are right in front of them they cannot see.. Ha!! ha!!. But..Mukham Karo thivachalam ..pangum langa...he gives them the vision.
Hez got a CEO view of the Krishna Consciousness movement. He has got the long-term vision, as this is a life-long battle. He has got a Global View and thus when he addresses, his crew is naturally humbled understanding their tiny position. In this way they all become very effective.
With Maha-Rathis like him, Mahaprabhu's movement is not going to stop. If they take part they are very fortunate. To take part they need his mercy.
He has appeared as MahaPrabhu's Battalion Leader. He is on the offensive side, fighting right in the front. As the Kshatria kings would face the battle before the soldiers.
His main Wing is Urban preaching.
On the sideline he also does some stunts on the wing of Overseas Indian preaching.
Mahaprabhu has armed him with various mighty weapons..
His humble mood is his chariot..
His craming of Srila Prabhupad's books are his armour guards..
His grave voice is like thunder bolts...
His practical words are like explosions in the heart...
His heartfelt kirtans are master blasters...
His piercing words are like rockets...
His Searching for Vedic India.. Whooh! thats a time bomb..
The loft is the new concept for an attack strategy
Urban Yoga is his hide & hit commando style approach
Cruise programs are water warfare
Retreats are like WMD's.. One shot, finish all
And IIT preaching is chemical warfare on the brainees
And you know what ... when it comes to personal meetings .. he has got the right Asthras for the right people. These are simple snake arrows and it's like the Asthra that Ashwatma shot, this goes straight to the living entity. But in this the soul is awakened to see the Lord.
Now in having speaking about this person we have decided to join his force ... and now we want to make a small vyasa puja offering ...
Maharaj, we can tell only after your glorious intervention a huge change happened to the student program and also in our personal lives. You have wonderfully encouraged and guided Nityananda Priya prabhu all this while. Like bees are attracted to honey, wonderful and sincere souls have been attracted by the fragrance and pulling power of your lotus feet.
We beg you to bless us to take humble positions as servants of these devotees who are attracted to you. With our envious hearts we are finding this is very difficult to do. Please help us to do this. Please make our hearts humble and tolerant to accept your mercy by serving these devotees as servants and not seeing us as masters.
You stress again and again on chanting attentively, at your every tour to Melbourne. But our foolish minds wander in the activities and pastimes of our own self. We beg you to bless us both to chant sincerely and attain a taste for the holy name by your grace. We also beg you to bless our child Rasika to be protected by devotional service from all sides.
One thing I know is.. Pleasing you is pleasing our Temple President, Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupad and Radha Vallaba. We are very happy to have someone like you working closely with our community leaders here for our purification.
Maharaj, thank you for your kind care and concern on us. And also thanks for inspiring us through your sweat-shed lectures. We beg you to kindly guide us more and more.
We beg to uplift us and protect us through your prayers and bind tightly us at the feet of the devotees of Sri Sri Radha Vallabha.
Your Servants
Kripa Sindhu Das and Ayodhya Rani Devi Dasi (Melbourne) -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto pi
dhyayan stuvams tasya yasas tri-sandhyam
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam
By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master. (Sri Sri Gurv-astaka, Verse 8, Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura)
By your mercy we have received the benediction of chanting the holy name seriously, attentively - that's the goal, the standard you've set for us. By your mercy we have received the benediction of taking shelter of Prabhupada's books, in this dark dense Kali-yuga age; it soothes the mind and heart of aches and pains. By your mercy we have received the benediction of devotee association, the safety net that stops us from falling into the clutches of Mayadevi. By your grace we continue in our endeavor to become Krishna conscious and become purely your instruments for spreading Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement.
Gurudeva you're so expert in preaching according to time, place and circumstance, your plans are so brilliant. Gurudeva you're so kind and compassionate, you always see the good in us conditioned souls and extract whatever ability we may have to engage in Krishna's pleasure, like a bumble bee extracting pollen from a flower to make honey.
Guru Maharaja, thank you for pushing me to try and do more for Krishna. Please give me the spiritual strength to carry out your instructions faithfully.
Your servant,
Krishna Murari dd -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Let me congratulate you with this joyful radiant Day of your appearance! I wish you health and strength for service to the lotus feet of your dear spiritual master Srila Prabhupada! May you stay on this planet as long as possible giving your wonderful seminars, as long as your dear spiritual master Srila Prabhupada wishes!
Please teach us the same devotion, sincerity and steadiness in devotional service that you have toward your spiritual master.
Srimad-Bhagavatam says (5.18.11) "By associating with persons for whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, is the all in all, one can hear of His powerful activities and soon come to understand them. The activities of Mukunda are so potent that simply by hearing of them one immediately associates with the Lord." Thank you for your causeless mercy that you are giving us. Because of your association we are able advance on the path back home, back to Krishna.
Dear Guru Maharaja, please give me your blessings that my desire to chant attentively become very strong and sincere in my heart.
Your servant,
Krishna Rupa devi dasi, Saint-Petersburg (Russia) -
My beloved Guru Maharaja!
Let me offer my humble obeisances at your lotus feet on this the most auspicious day of your Vyasapuja.
All glories to you, the intimate servant of Srila Prabhupada!
I always remember how on one of your lectures you mentioned that one should never put away Krishna consciousness for future, that this is the biggest mistake the person can make. Remembering this gave me inspiration and final realization that NOW IS THE TIME to do something significant.
I had this great desire to offer you something unique on this year Vyasapuja. A gift that would make you smile; a gift that you could present further to Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet; a gift that would please your
compassionate heart - I wanted to offer you a report of opening the preaching center in Las Vegas.
My plans however have been shattered due to the circumstances beyond my control and we are not yet in the official possession of the space Lord Krishna has chosen for His preaching spiritual oasis.
You know very well, my dear Guru Maharaja, that establishing a center here was a great desire of my good husband and myself from the very beginning we came to Las Vegas. Somehow the circumstances we were in did not allow us to fulfilled this desire immediately but the sweet contemplation of it was never estinquished and finally it bears fruit by your causless mercy.
WE HAVE FOUND A PLACE FOR A CENTER! And are in the process of leasing arrangements. The humble desire to serve Krishna and your lotus feet gave us strength and inspiration to realize this project. The location of the place is very convenient, almost central and by the airport, just 3 min from my husband's work and about 10 min from our house. It is beautifully situated in a masterly designed business park, by the very busy intersecton of major streets in Las Vegas with estimated traffic of 50,000 cars per day, not far from the university. Across the street is Sunset Park, the biggest park in Las Vegas area and gathering place for many Las Vegans - for us the future site of Rathayatra festival.
Together with few of our members, we decided to call it Govinda's Center of Vedic India. The center is small but cozy; it is about 512sf. Enough for the beginning, so we want be stressed too much financially. By Krishna's mercy we negotiated very low price per sf. and we are signing 3 year lease.
Our plan is to have it open 5 nights a week, Wed-Sun, 6:00PM till 9:00PM perhaps, with 2 programs. On Thursdays a smaller program and on Sundays our traditional Feast Program. We have a website online at www.Govindascenter.com. It is still under construction.
Humbly bowing down at your lotus feet, I am presenting you this project on your Vyasapuja. Please kindly accept it as an offering of love and bestow your blessings upon us so this project is successful and prosperious in
Krishna's mission of spreading His glories in Las Vegas.
Your insignificant servant,
Krishna-mayi dd with my good husband -
nama om visnu padaya krsna prestaya bhutale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purve dakyam ca bhakta cara pravinata
parartathapi karunya yasya sarve ca te namo namah
My dear Gurdev,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupad and all glories unto you.
On this auspicious day I would like to sincerely thank you for what you have given us. Actually speaking we are always indebted to you, for the good fortune you have kindly given us.
What is good fortune?
Is it getting a comfortable house, next to the heavenly sunny beach?
Is it getting PhD scholarship? Is it getting high corporate career? Or perhaps be rich, handsome, get a good family etc etc.
According to the verdict of the sastra, one is not considered fortunate based on things mentioned above. The scriptures mention who are considered fortunate:
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bijaOut of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. [Cc. Madhya 19.151]
Being the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna is our original constitutional position. But because of our rebellious nature we have forgotten it. We therefore act as independent controllers and enjoyers opposing the all-blissful Supreme Lord and this has created our misfortune from time immemorial. Nevertheless the all-merciful Supreme Lord, out of compassion for the jivas, sends continuously His very intimate and dear servant to save us from our fallen condition. Though the Supreme Lord can do it Himself, He nevertheless gets His very dear servants to do the special missionary service so that the full credit can be given to His dear servant.
One day it so happened that I met one nice person whose name is Ratnam. We were on the way to the farm for the retreat along with other students. A very lively discussion broke out in the small van. Ratnam was helping me explain the process of Krishna Consciousness to the new inquisitive students. This was my first time I met and spoke to Ratnam. I was very surprised the way he presented Krishna Consciousness to them. So I asked him about his life and how he got to know about Krishna. He mentioned that he was invited for the 2nd boat cruise which was held at Melbourne, and he had the opportunity for the first time to associate and hear from you, Gurudev. He became so serious from then, though he barely went to the temple but he would always associate with you through hearing your lectures and this kept him interested and deepened his Krishna Consciousness. When I heard this I immediately could see the potency of Sadhu sanga and a verse came in my memory.
sadhu-sanga', 'sadhu-sanga'—sarva-sastre kaya lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi hayaThe verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success. [Cc. Madhya 22.54]
I personally remember when I initially was introduced to you by my Gurukul principle " Vedasara Prabhu " and you had agreed to look after me. But for some unfortunate reason I never kept in touch with you. So I went to my uncles home for holidays, there I faced a real test. My uncles tried to allure me by saying that I would get all material asset and qualification if I went under their wings, but on condition that I gave up all connection to Krishna.
This was a shocking decision for me.
Later I was determined to remain in association with devotees and continue Krishna Consciousness. But who was there to help? Whom could I trust? These were doubts hovering in my mind. So I just e-mailed you for the first time and there I got the true assurance and all the help to remain in devotee association by your kind and quick reply.
Srila Prabhupad mentions in Bhagavad gita 4.34 purport, "Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life". I hope I can take this instruction to my heart and make it my life's goal.
If there is any credit in my execution of devotional service, it fully goes to you, Gurudev.
Please forgive me for any offenses I may have committed unto you.
Hoping to remain your servant
Krishnagraja das -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Another year has passed, and still I don't have the slightest idea on how to write just a few words of gratitude.
As each year goes by, I realize more and more how important it is to have a Spiritual Master, and not just any Spiritual Master, the best Spiritual Master. How could I function without trying to please you. Without your instructions and your super caring, inspiring nature I would still be left rotting in the depths of Kali yuga.
I see your great desire to be the humble servant of the servant. The way you want to please Srila Prabhupada by fulfilling all of his desires. Gaura Yoga and Gaura Haven are prime examples of this.
You are making unlimited opportunities for service in these two projects. Thank you so much for the opportunity to try and plug in all I can to help with the whole Wellington scene. There is so much potential with Gaura Haven it is overwhelming. I hope to be a big part of this project, if that is your desire.
Thank you so much Gurudeva for being the best Spiritual Master. Please let me humbly serve you to my fullest extent, and help in your mission to serve Srila Prabhupada.
Your servant of a servant,
Krsna Prasada das. -
nama om vishnu padaya Krishna prasthaya bhutale
srimate Devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisences on this most auspicious occasion of your vyasa puja.
One time I forgot to get you a sitting mat and small prasadam table for your prasadam and as I was about to go and get it you said "No need to go, i will just make use of whatever is available" ; and you just sat on the floor and took prasad. It was such a shameful and embarrassing situation for me to see my beloved spiritual master take prasad sitting on the floor; however by doing so you taught me such a valuable lesson.
You revealed to me your expertise in using every situation in Krsna's service. Following in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada you are also so kind & expert in engaging every living and non living being that comes in contact with you in Krsna's service.
You are always so merciful to highlight any tiny good thing we may do in our service and you are constantly guiding us on how to improve and increase. Quite often I have felt so embarrassed, confused & guilty that I am not rendering any useful service to you and Srila Prabhupada; but still you always encourage me and highlight on how to be a better servant.
Guru maharaj my desire and prayer is that somehow or other I can be more useful tool in your hands to be used in Krsna's service.
Your Servant
Krsna katha dasa -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on the auspicious day of your appearance
Sometimes when reading Srila Prabhupada's books the penny drops and you get some realization of what he is saying."As long as one is unable to stop the desire for material enjoyment, there is no possibility of becoming liberated from the entanglement of material existence. It may be argued that the waves of the rivers are incessantly flowing and that they cannot be stopped, but the waves of the river flow toward the sea. When the tide comes over the river, it overwhelms the flowing of the river, and the river itself becomes overflooded, and the waves from the sea become more prominent than the waves of the river. Similarly, a devotee with intelligence plans so many things for the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness that stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord"
Srimad Bhagavatam 4.22.39 pp
Upon reading this purport it struck me what you are doing.
In America Srila Prabhupada tuned into the scene and took advantage for Krsna. In the same way you have tuned into the scene in New Zealand by introducing yoga in your centers, teaching us the art of organic cultivation "we make it easy" and thereby giving many people the chance to associate with devotees and in that way take up Krsna consciousness - also an ingenious way to pay the bills! You said in one lecture that you don't want devotees to be in financial anxiety; this is one of many examples that demonstrate your care for the devotees.
Recently in Wellington you shared with us your observation that the religion in clean green organic New Zealand is "Sustainable living, Environmental Consciousness and Organics" and you are steering the preaching in that way. Because of your desire we will have Gaura Haven which will attract more conditioned souls - the eco conscious cult followers; simultaneous vegetable and bhakta cultivation. Another example of your expertise of being tuned in.
You are tuned into what is best for preaching just as Srila Prabhupada was and at the same time you are engaging many in the service of the Lord by giving us a mission and also teaching us how to engage others in Srila Prabhupada's mission. What is the result? "A devotee with intelligence plans so many things for the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness that stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord".
You are so expert in engaging and guiding your disciples in the service of Krsna that not only do we have little time to think about material desires, but we are willing to invest because of being so driven by your inspiration, your exemplary qualities, your compassion, your selflessness, your enthusiasm and your dedication to spreading Krsna consciousness.
You told me once "love means practical activities of spreading Krsna consciousness - not just a warm fuzzy feeling". So you are engaging us in practical activities and only by your mercy will our stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord.
Thank you for impressing upon this fallen soul the practicalities of life.
your servant,
Krsnaloka devi dasi -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Hare Krishna!
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
I congratulate You on the day of Your Vyasa-puja. All glories to the spiritual master!
The spiritual master is simple and grand. He is a friend of all people. He directs to a new path, the path of realization of the Absolute Truth. He makes all dificulties easier and lightens the futur. He has the best gifts. His heart is eager to get in touch with souls consonant with his soul and to share the spiritual wealth. Only by the mercy of the spiritual master, one can get Krishna's benediction. Spiritual master's life in preaching is wonderful and selfless!
Larisa
Russia, Severodvinsk -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please, accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Lord Krishna's devotees!
I have just come back from a very warm festival in the Black sea, where, despite incredible changes for the best, my soul could sing only remembering Your Holiness. There were a lot of things that reminded of what a sweet association You were giving. I am worrying about Your health, though completely convinced that Your soul is healthy and young.
It is shining like a lighthouse for me, so I constantly can see where to go.
I constantly remember Your instructions and Your inspiring words towards me.
Thank You for my happy life in KC:
For a so incredibly valuable association that You give to me by Your mercy; For all the unique meeting that my destiny gives me by Your mercy; For the intimate knowledge of Srila Prabhupada's books that are opening to me just by Your mercy; For the opportunity to serve the devotees day and night, also to the Holy Name and Your Holiness, without Your mercy I do not have any qualities for this; For the minutes of revelation, which deprive me of sleep and peace, but give that much of love, which is possible to get only by Your mercy; For the opportunity to be able, to want and to love to be proud of You, as You are an example of devotion, humbleness, cleanness, tactfulness, advertence, compassion, care, unselfishness and emotional love for the Lord.
Thank You for everything. This day I am applying to Srila Prabhupada with a very humble request to bless You, though, He, for sure, has done it, because Your eyes provide the same shining as His.
Your servant Lavanya-sar dd, Omsk city. -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
Hearing Krsna's glories and preaching Krsna's glories; many of us find this austere, but for you, prati ksanasvadana-lolupasya, you are relishing this. I'm nothing without you Gurudeva. I am like a dying patient in hospital and you are the life support machine which is keeping me alive.
I am rotting in this material existence, like a dried up plant without water, but fortunately, tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam, you are a cloud which is raining mercy upon me. I am in a dehydrated condition, but you are krpa-sindhu, the ocean of mercy which is giving me life.
My mind is a reservoir of false prestige; yet, every time I speak with you, you skillfully slice away my pride with a sword of sakti; your glance alone can make the most puffed up fool feel like an insignificant ant. Only an exalted Vaisnava who possesses immense potency has the ability to curb one's pride simply by glancing upon them. Even my feeble attempt to glorify you is a humbling experience; how can I glorify you when I don't even know the extent of your glories?!
You are an uttama-adhikari whose only business is to spread the Sankirtana movement, therefore you are fit to liberate all three worlds, so it is not a big deal for you to save this one fallen soul, but I am just surprised because I am so insignificant.
It is very difficult for new devotees to take up preaching work, but you have such a strong desire that anyone who comes in contact with you automatically desires to assist your preaching.
When Janananda Goswami visited the Loft centers he said:"to have so many women living under one roof, engaged in preaching everyday is practically unheard of in ISKCON, this can only mean one thing; that the person organising this is incredibly Krsna conscious".
That exalted personality he was glorifying is you, Srila Gurudeva.
Your desire to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books is so strong that in a short time you have manifested a brahmacari asrama dedicated to sankirtana. These things are all expansions of your mercy Gurudeva; no one can take any credit for these achievements but yourself.
You are such a pure unalloyed devotee that Krsna is just waiting to fulfill your desires; this is because your only desires are to spread the glories of Krsna and anyone who looks at the results of your preaching can verify this self evident truth.
Caitanya Caritamrta states that "one cannot spread the holy name of Krsna without being specifically empowered by Lord Krsna" (C.C Antya 7.11)
In a Caitanya Caritamrta purport Srila Prabhupada says:"without being empowered by the direct potency of Krsna to fulfill his desire and without being specifically favoured by the Lord, no human can become the Spiritual Master of the world... only an empowered personality can distribute the Holy Name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krsna... such a Spiritual Master should be considered non-different from Krsna; that is, he should be considered the incarnation on the Lords potency. Such a personality is krsnalingita-vigraha- that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. (Madhya 25.9 purport)
Prabhupada has stated that the preacher who comes for the service of the Lord cannot be expected to conform to a stereotype, for he must find the ways and means by which Krsna Consciousness may be spread This you have clearly shown through your Loft preaching, a paradigm which even Srila Prabhupada adopted when he was preaching through his own Loft centers when he first came to New York. Bhaktivinoda Thukura has said that an uttama-adhikari can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaisnavism. If one simply looks at all the devotees you have made in your short time preaching in New Zealand they will clearly see the magnitude of your potency.
Prahlada Maharaja has prayed,"My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?" (S.B 7.9.28)
You have made elaborate plans how to reclaim the lost fallen souls and it is my duty to simply assist you in your preaching work, thank you for giving me such an opportunity.
In one Bhaktivedanta purport it is written:"A joker's activities simply arouse laughter, and a person who tries to repay the spiritual master or teacher of the transcendental message of Krsna becomes a laughingstock just like a joker because it is not possible to repay such a debt."(S.B 4.22.47)
You saved my life Gurudeva, therefore my body has been sold to you, but I cannot think of anyone more qualified to sign my life over to than you Srila Gurudeva.
Your servant,
Mahanila das -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your merciful lotus feet.
All glories to ISKCON's founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada.
As my spiritual "teenage years" approach, I'm realizing more than ever that I'm fighting a determined battle with impersonal contamination. What do I mean by impersonal contamination? As Srila Prabhupada explained many times, the impersonalists have no genuine love for guru or Krishna, but try to use both as a lever with which to achieve their own purposes, disguising their duplicity in a so-called "spiritual" way for a so-called "spiritual" end.
In a recent lecture you superbly explained this subject matter in both philosophical and practical modern devotional contexts. Using Lord Caitanya's meeting with the mayavadis of Varanasi as your point of sastric reference, you expertly delivered a divinely inspired contemporary purport to my disease - nirvisesa-sunyavadi - as well as the perfect Krishna conscious cure.
Impersonalism, as Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita, arises due to fear, which is generated ultimately from ignorance of His all-attractive supreme personality. In your enlightening commentary on this phenomenon, you explained how even though equipped with Vedic study, austerity and detachment from karmic endeavors, the impersonalists are prohibited from entering into the genuine Vedic education which would cure their diseased mentality because of a lack of the preliminary qualification for receiving such. You explained:"He (Lord Caitanya) entered very humbly, and sat down in the place where feet are washed. In other words He's teaching the mayavadis, the first thing is humility. Without humility you'll never understand transcendental knowledge, you'll never understand Vedanta."
Expanding on this theme, you then proceeded to illustrate how Lord Caitanya, upon being challenged by Prakasananda Sarasvati regarding His absorption in the sankirtan movement and apparent neglect of Vedanta study, "personally" taught the mayavadis how to treat their disease at the root:"What was Lord Caitanya's response? Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana, 'My dear sir, kindly hear the reason.' In other words, 'hear why I'm chanting and dancing - My spiritual master considered Me a fool, and therefore he chastised Me.' Lord Caitanya is teaching, one should always be the humble servant of one's spiritual master and always think oneself humble and unqualified, then you can understand Vedanta. Not that with an arrogant attitude you're going to understand spiritual knowledge."
You then read from Srila Prabhupada's purport to the following verse, which amplifies the importance of the parampara system:"Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja comments in this connection, one can become perfectly successful in the mission of his life if he acts exactly according to the words he hears from the mouth of his spiritual master. This acceptance of the words of the spiritual master is called srauta-vakya, which indicates that the disciple must carry out the spiritual master's instructions without deviation. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks in this connection that a disciple must accept the words of his spiritual master as his life and soul. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu here confirms this by saying that since His spiritual master ordered Him only to chant the holy name of Krishna, He always chanted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra according to this direction ('krishna-mantra' japa sada,-ei mantra-sara)...Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna, the spiritual master of the entire universe, He nevertheless took the position of a disciple in order to teach by example how a devotee should strictly follow the orders of a spiritual master in executing the duty of always chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra."
-Cc. Adi 7.72 purport
You then gave this essential Vaisnava siddhanta an even more contemporary context, explaining it in relation to ISKCON:"So, Srila Prabhupada would always say that he had no mystic power other than he simply took the words of his spiritual master as his life and soul. His spiritual master told him to spread Krishna consciousness in the Western world - to write and distribute books - and he said 'I'm doing that. That is my only secret of success.'"
You continued reading form Srila Prabhupada's purport:"Only fools give up the service of the spiritual master and think themselves advanced in spiritual knowledge."
You went on to explain how an immature candidate for bhakti, due to impersonal contamination, can misunderstand the importance of this essence of Krishna conscious advancement:"You may say 'Well who would ever do such a thing like that?' Not so much when you're a young devotee, but as you become older in years in Krishna consciousness you can start thinking 'Yeah I know everything, I'm doin' pretty good, I know how to take care of myself - why should I continue to think I need guidance? I need supervision?' These are the 'teenage years' in Krishna consciousness (Laughter). 'When I was a younger devotee in my infancy, yes, I needed parental guidance, but now I'm a teenager, I've been around 10 years, 15 years, so I can take care of myself. I can take the car out for a night on the town (Laughter). I've got my driver's license. Doesn't that certify that I've attained a level of independence?'"
Your parental concern, coming from decades of pure devotional dedication and experience manifested thus:"I've seen great contributors of service to Krishna consciousness, when they hit their teenage years, make this mistake and down they go. I have seen. One must always keep this attitude, as Srila Prabhupada describes in this purport, and when you get to your 'teenage years' in Krishna consciousness, understand the symptoms of that age. You want to throw off all guidance and supervision."
You then mercifully explained the enemy's different manifestations and permutations according to various asramas:"It can happen to anyone in any asrama. In the grhasta asrama, if you're working, living in your home, the world pushes you to 'be your own person,' whatever that means, to be self determining, and so you can just start to think 'Why do I have to take guidance? You know, I have my house, I have my wife, there are children, it's obvious, I know everything' (Laughter). It all adds up right? Or, as a sannyasi, you can think 'Oh, I have been in the renounced order so many years. Why do we have to adhere so tightly to Prabhupada's instructions? We are now paramahamsas. It's time for us to make our own path. Yes, Prabhupada would want us to do that'" (Laughter).
"So these are the 'teenage years,' and I have seen cases of devotees who, in their teenage years become bewildered. They prematurely declare themselves as 'spiritual leaders,' but they haven't mastered humility and therefore, down they go - punar musiko - again become a mouse. We don't want to make that mistake."
Revealing the unparalleled value of Srila Prabhupada's purports in this regard for the sincere serious sadhaka you explained:"So this is the impersonal contamination of one who falls victim to the spiritual teenage years, and therefore we have these purports to guide us."
You continued reading:"Only fools give up the service of the spiritual master and think themselves advanced in spiritual knowledge. In order to check such fools, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself presented the perfect example of how to be a disciple."
-Cc. Adi 7.72 purport
Your conclusion?"Just see how merciful Krishna is!"
"A spiritual master knows very well how to engage each disciple in a particular duty, but if a disciple, thinking himself more advanced than his spiritual master, gives up his orders and acts independently, he checks his own spiritual progress. Every disciple must consider himself completely unaware of the science of Krishna and must always be ready to carry out the orders of the spiritual master to become competent in Krishna consciousness."
-Cc. Adi 7.72 purport
I am eternally grateful for your transcendental parenting, and I pray to your lotus feet on this holy day, that for your service I may pass smoothly through my spiritual "teenage years" and become your mature and faithful son in Krishna consciousness.
Mahavan das. -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,all glories to Srila Prabhupada & all glories to you.
Thank you so much Gurudeva for giving me the shade of your lotus feet & opening my dull mind to see the way threw this place of misery.
Your potency is so powerful that even such a condition wretched person as me can be given the realization & taste that we have a home to go to & The Supreme Person is there. How can I ever understand how compassionate you have been to me, I can't really. I hold you very close to my heart and desire that in someway I can please you.
Your last visit to Auckland was so pleasing as I was able to relish your class & kirtan more than ever. You looked so effulgent that I just could not stop smiling, your purity is so attractive, thank you for giving me a glimpse of your divine qualities.
Your eternal servant,
Mangal Vaisnava das -
Dearest Guru Maharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to your lotus feet
It is said thatguru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane
guru-rupe krsna krpa karena bhakta-gane
According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Krsna. Lord Krsna in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees. This is so true Guru Maharaj. This year you bestowed upon my fallen self the ultimate benediction when you visited Toronto and gave me a chance to do some small service. Only you Guru Maharaj could shower such mercy on such undeserving candidate because you are non-different from Krsna.
Dear Guru Maharaj today on your glorious appearance day I remember and miss you so much. I am so unfortunate that I am unable to serve you in any way or get your association.
I read that ' The service of the spiritual master is essential. If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. '
When you were here this year you were so merciful as to share with us a dream of yours that devotees have their own preaching centre at Yonge and Bloor where we could invite and cultivate guests. Your words are my life and soul but I have no ability to do anything on my own. I am just trying to crawl and stumble at every turn. Gurudev, I pray unto your lotus feet that please give me some minute ability to actually act on your instructions. Nothing is possible without your desire and sanction. Please help me Guru Maharaj and use me for some service to your lotus feet.
Dear Gurudev, I try to remember a verse in the prayers of Prahlad Maharaj that I have heard you quote:aham tv akamas tvad-bhaktas
tvam ca svamy anapasrayah
nanyathehavayor artho
raja-sevakayor iva
O my Lord, I am your unmotivated servant, and You are my eternal master. There is no need of our being anything other than master and servant. You are naturally my master, and I am naturally your servant. We have no other relationship.
Remembering these prayers I pray 'Dear Guru Maharaj, O Master, O lord, please give this servant of yours some service and some ability to serve you. I have not seen Giriraj Govardhan or gone on Vraja Mandala parikrama or even smelt the dust of Sree dham Mayapur. All of these holy dhams reside in service to your lotus feet. Please engage me in your service.'
Your humble servant
Mangala Arati devi dasi -
Please Accept My humble Obeisances
All glories to you, Devmrita Swami
My guiding light and refuge,
I feel as if I am in the arid desert of your missed association. That across this vast globe of mother Bhumi there are verdant swaths of vibrant bhaki springing up in you wake. Yet I walk windswept amongst the browned dried thistles. I see my reflection in the grease slick that is my water whole and know why I am not a cow of those pastures. The heights of academia seem like bright pin points in the icy sky, light years away from where I stand. I kick around a Highschool diploma and tout no significant accolades of spiritual education either. Failing to complete the first canto of the Srimad Bagavatam what to speak of the C.C. or other exalted literatures I feel the lame dumb step daughter in a family of PhD's. I make no significant offering to your Guru, Srila Prabhupada in the way of spreading the glories of Krsna. Thus I have very little value as an aspiring disciple (deeply sorry). I am in actuality worthless except, I hope, as a mother to my son and wife to my husband. Why, don't I just let go? Considering how pathetic I am, surviving on just a few merger rounds a day. Why don't I just throw in the towel and just be the materialist that I am?
When I ask myself this I have visions of a Christchurch stair case leading up to my first darshan with you and an event that has made it impossible for me to give up on Krsna. As a yank back packer in the land of N.Z. I had heard that these Swamis were Spiritual Masters guiding the ignorant into Knowledge. In hearing this my eyes would roll and my lips smirk. I feel as if I should now inform you that this memory is steeped in impersonal and egocentric overtones. So please bare with me now, for that is who I was then and thus the filter through which this prized memory was stored.
As I ascended the stairs I silently huffed thinking to my self that anyone who believed they had "The Answers" was a person who knew none. I was excited for a challenge and had my list of profound questions in hand. Having grown up in a Gurdjieffian community I had been taught that questions were the real spiritual currency earned through experiences. The more profound your question the more enlightened you were. I was going to try, what I may, to blow the socks of this Swami with a bit of my own profundity. Mostly defiant and partly honest seeker, I was shown a door on the other side of which, in my memory, was a large room. That may only have been an impression due to the lack of furniture. There was a bench pushed up against the long north wall and a chair centered between two windows on the shorter east wall. There you sat, flanked by an orange sentinel standing in the south east corner cloaked in shadow dew to the brightness of the light streaming in the windows. I didn't know where to sit so I stood there stupidly (not the way I had planed on presenting myself) until the orange shadow motioned me to sit down on the floor in front of you. You seemed to noticed my uncomfortable decent down into a tight ungraceful sitting position and suggested I could move to the impractically placed bench. I decided to remain sitting, in hopes that it may in some way indicate that I was spiritual person.
Sitting there, my bulky ski racing legs falling asleep, I began to pose all my deep and profound questions to you. Thinking of course that you would be impressed and engaged in my insightfulness and awareness. While I, of course, was expecting long winded spiritual answers that I would be able to see the fallacies in. But this is not at all what transpired. You would listen very graciously and then in very succinct answers show me that these were not Spiritual questions at all. My wide open ended profound questions would meet there demise at the simple slashing of your mater of fact practical answers. Bewilderment seemed to be mixing my mind around and I couldn't maintain my haughty bull dog attitude. "My lofty spiritual questions were actually material banter?" I thought to myself "How could these things he was saying be the answers? they are not even poetic paradoxes." I couldn't really hear what you were saying any more. I was just spewing out my last feeble attempts at profundity per your request until you were sure that my Swami-asking-to-do-list was finished.
I sat there flipping my list around trying to some how navigate the fog in my brain. When you said something as clear as anything I have ever heard, I looked up and it felt as if the interior of the room had some how changed. The light was brighter and the dark denser. You looked at me with an urgent and somewhat aggressive expression, and said "what are you doing bothering with all this nonsense? Why are you doing this when there Is a flood of love of godhead happening right now?" I think you raised your hand as if to indicate outside the window, and images of the ordinary people of Christchurch being swept up in a golden surge of LOVE seemed to play across my eyes. You continued looking at me as if my brain were made of wood and said, "There is a whole ocean of mercy, an Ocean Of Mercy ! And the flood of love of godhead all around us right now, coming directly from Krsna Himself. Why wouldn't you want to tap into THAT?
I just sat there.......stunned at being so unexpectedly inspired. Not knowing that my life pursuits had just changed in that instant.
conversation resumed with a much tamer tone and fewer words on my part. Now infused with the desire to know how to "tap in to that...Krsna", I listened.
"Try to chant sixteen rounds and come see me in the morning" you said
The next morning I showed up and you asked "soooooooo, did you chant?
"Yes"
"how many"
"16"
Finally, I thought, I had impressed the Swami!!!
I have been on a long and winding path since that day in New Zealand. But that conversation continues to be a beacon in my life. I long for the day when I can get myself together enough to be of real service to you. And right or wrong I still have the desire to impress you. I am not sure how spiritual that is. And it is a tall order to fulfill coming from me, a decidedly unimpressive person/ "daughter". I am ever indebted to you for your bringing me to Krsna and for accepting me again after wandering astray.
I here and now and always offer my "Obeisance to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching, competence in Vaishnava dealings, selflessness, and compassion."
forever indebted
Bhaktin Mani manjari dd -
om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
chaksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah
nama om visnu padaya krsna prestaya bhutale
srimate Devamrta swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurudev,
A year has passed since I wrote my first vyasa puja offering for you.
I still remember the first time I heard you speak. Italy, 2003 Pandava Sena trip. I remember how expertly you took the highest of knowledge and made it practical and applicable. Using everything from Jimi Hendrix to the Matrix, you kept us in stitches and enlivened our dormant Krishna Consciousness.
Now, 4 years on, you continue to expertly preach the most complex of topics in the most effective way. Through your mercy and instructions, I've experienced aspects of Srila Prabhupada's movement in lots of exciting and unexpected ways!
You instructed me to continue in teaching and use the skills I learn in teaching Krishna Consciousness. I am still teaching for West Herts College and the University of Hertfordshire. In both area's I have increased my hours and learned more about modern day teaching. Through my spiritual teaching, I have lead courses at Bhaktivedanta Manor and developed new courses. I've also had the honour of working closely with HG Urmila Mataji on a number of her projects.
You also instructed me to read and teach Srimad Bhagavatam. I am currently near the end of the third Canto. I always enjoy your classes and how you lovingly speak about this divine scripture
I pray that I have been able to please you in some small way with my endeavours. You always say you need to be where the 'action' is. I pray that we are always able to bring enough action to always attract and please you!
Your aspiring servant
Manish Gadhvi -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances on this most auspicious day, your Vyasa-puja. I wish you all the best including good health and surrendered disciples so that you can push ahead strongly in the service of your spiritual master.
Thank you for all your care and effort for the upliftment of your disciples and everyone else. You constantly preach to us and spend time with us thus having hardly any time for anything else. Still, that "everything else" is also put into motion by you; nothing gets neglected, forgotten or overlooked. You truly manifest the selflessness and expertise of the Vaishnava. I don't know how you do these. I bow down in front of you astonished (as well as embarrassed by the lack of my good qualities).
Your aspiring servant,
Mantramala -
Dear Gurumaharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
On this momentous occasion of your Vyasapuja - thank you so much.
How will I ever begin to understand the dimensions of who you are and what you are doing for me? How to try to put that all into words?
You came in the form of your words to save me from the precarious spiral downwards that I was caught in, after who knows how many painful lifetimes before this one. Krishna's mercy of transformation is coming through you, changing me in such a way that I don't recognise myself anymore!
Throughout all the new and challenging situations I have found myself in since then, your words have been an instant and enduring source of inspiration and realization, always directing back to the scriptures and Srila Prabhupada.
How absolutely expert you are at preaching according to time, place and circumstance, giving Krishna Consciousness in such a way that persons can take it up with ease, exposing the essence what the (from the Western 'civilized' view) 'strange' Vedic culture is directed towards.
So much so, that sincere persons can make astounding advancement in spite of sitting on chairs, not the floor, using forks, and not the right hand, toilet paper, not the left hand, carpets, not tiles and healthy prasadam, not all the rest.
The emphasis being on the things that make the real change - attentive japa, two hours reading, senior devotee mentors, healthy living, separate living for men and ladies, profuse and structured opportunities to preach and distribute books, devotee association and encouragement to learn new skills and refine and polish these, all accompanied by your personal guidance.
Please allow me to see what is blocking my advancement and give me the courage to work at it and surrender. Without you there is no way I can escape material life and by your mercy alone can I become a servant in the line of servants serving Krishna. Please help me to accept that you care, that Krishna cares and that therefore I too have to care.
Thank you for mercifully giving me the opportunity to try and assist you in distributing books.
By your mercy may my gratitude not end in words but rather in action.
You inspire persons to increase their devotional service - that's how New Zealand was 5th in world book distribution.
You inspire me to want to sacrifice for Krishna, the Person I can't remember having ever known, but whose factuality is confirmed by the way you live your life.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhaktin Marie -
nama om visnu-padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrta swamin iti namine
pracare purva daksyam ca bhaktacara pravinitah
paratatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah
nama om visnu-padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine
Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
How grateful I am to be where I am! Last year at this auspicious time of the year, I had just arrived at the Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir Temple. I was the new kid in town. Joining my god-brothers and god-sisters, I realized that even though I didn't know them personally, I knew we all shared something greater in common. We all love our Guru Maharaja, and we all feel so blessed to be under his shelter. This year again, I've just arrived in a new city, ready for some action on the battlefield. I feel so happy to be here. You do keep me on my toes! You have a certain gift to know exactly what we need to grow organically in Krsna consciousness. Again I'm surrounded by many dedicated devotees. The atmosphere here is very nice because your mercy is behind it all. It is a happy atmosphere.
It is said in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu that: "Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest, because it is eternal."(p10) Not that I'm practicing pure devotional service but with your mercy only, I aspire to someday attain that platform, un-tinged of any material selfish desires.
Gurudeva, you are attracting a whole new generation of people to Lord Caitanya's Sankirtan movement. Something sublime is happening and everything you do is so intelligent and precise. It's very inspiring. Since I came to my senses over two years ago, I've seen many new faces turn to Krsna Consciousness, with great enthusiasm. People are finding that true happiness does exist in this world.
Again, if we look at the stupendous Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu it is said:"(...) the happiness derived from devotional service in Krsna consciousness is so transcendental and so unlimited that no other happiness can compare to it. It is said that even one drop of happiness in Krsna consciousness stands beyond comparison with an ocean of happiness derived from any other activity. Thus, any person who has developed even a little quantity of pure devotional service can very easily kick out all the other kinds of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation." (p13)
Guru Maharaja, I'm so grateful to have you as my spiritual master. Your happiness and drive is contagious. It seems that every time I meet you, I learn something new or I realize so many things about devotional life. It is ever fresh. You make me want to be the best person I can be to fulfill Srila Prabhupada's vision of a Krsna consciousness society. I want to be the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant of Krsna. How grateful I am to have the rare opportunity to be engaged in Krsna's service."In the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kinds of austerities, penances and similar processes for attaining self-realization. However, even if an executor of these processes is without any material desire, he still cannot achieve devotional service. And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is also not very hopeful, because Krsna does not agree to award devotional service to merely anyone. Krsna can easily offer a person material happiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily to award a person engagement in His devotional service. Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure devotee. In the Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya 19.151) it is said, "By the mercy of the spiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Krsna one can achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no other way."( p14)
Thank you for guiding me so nicely in the right direction. I know so little of what is Bhakti, but what I do know is that I want to please you, by placing hearing and chanting as main priorities every day. I want to keep on working hard, fully engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees. (Yes, book distribution is at my doorstep once again!) I feel very safe to have taken shelter of such an extraordinary Vaisnava, a direct representative of God Himself. Thank you Gurudeva. Hare Krsna.
Aspiring to remain your Captain "E"nthusiasm, your servant,
Bhaktin Marie-Andree
(Auckland) -
Dear Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada."He [the bona fide spiritual master] is well versed in the conclusions of Vedic knowledge. He is freed from all material contamination and is fully engaged in Krsna's service. If one is able to obtain the dust of the lotus feet of such a guru, his life becomes successful. Otherwise he is baffled both in this life and in the next." SB 5.14.13 pp.
Somehow or other I have obtained the dust of your lotus feet: you have never given up on me. I am forever sorry it took so long for me to finally respond to your wake up call. One day, during a very dark time in my life, you said: "Well, you are a devotee at heart." I had to cherish those words which represent your deep kindness because for still a long time after this encounter, they were all I had to give me hope."..The qualification of his spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters." S.B 5.14.41 pp.
With conviction, selflessness and compassion, you make it your life's mission to convince others of their true identity as a servant of Krsna; to convince them they no longer need to suffer in the shadows of material existence and that there is a very worthy lifelong career in reaching out to others. Through your association so many people's lives have become successful. In particular, I am grateful to you for the Gaura Yoga Centre and for the devotees there who are all so merciful and surrendered.
I thank you so much for your patience and your blessings so that I may chant Krsna's holy names while trying to carry out the responsibility of motherhood. You told me once that you care for ALL of my family. Now I realize that actually you are not partial to certain people; you care for everyone. Please help me to care for people beyond those close to me.
I hope to please you one day. Please give me the intelligence and determination to serve you properly.
Aspiring to be your humble servant,
Michelle. -
nama om vishnu-padaya
krishna-presthaya bhu tale
srimate devamrita
svamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
and all glories to you on this your vyasa puja celebration!
From my safe vantage point here in New Zealand, I hear about some of your incredible preaching efforts around the would. It never ceases to amaze me Guru Maharaja how you just go on and on. This has been even more magnified by your recent shoulder injury. Despite pain, inconvenience and on going treatment requirements, still you continued to preach. Not wanting to waste Krsna's time or Luxmi you continued to travel the globe. When ever I see the picture of Srila Prabhupada on the cover of Kurma's book The great Transcendental adventure it always reminds me of you powering off, leading the charge at full speed.
Recently you received a letter from Ekachakra prabhu after his visit down under. He had previously thought that apart from the famous Chowpatty temple no one else was able to come close to the real meaning of ISKCON. But after seeing your efforts in New Zealand he was so happy to see real Krsna consciousness going on elsewhere. He said that all your operations here are first class and one of a kind by the world wide scale (but we already new that).
I was listening to a sankirtana class the other day, one that you gave a few years ago I think. During the class you were reading out world book distribution scores and the percentage increase for that country. Russia up 3%, South America up 2% etc. When you came to New Zealand, however, you read that they were up a massive 734% on the previous years effort. Wow. You took no credit for that. In fact you said that you had no idea how this was happening? We, on the other hand, have every idea how this is happening. It is going on by your efforts alone. In fact if it was not for you taking New Zealand under your wing we would probably still be eating moa's (so to speak). You are the inspiration and driving force behind all of this.
In my mind I feel the only way to really please you, to sincerely show gratitude, is to distribute books. The service that was so dear to your spiritual master and which you have empowered so many of your disciples to do. I feel that those devotees who have taken some of the 50000 Srimad Bhagavatam1.1's in their book bags and entered the towns and cities of New Zealand to distribute the mercey are the dearest to you. To my eternal misfortune I am not one of those devotees. I pray that one day I will get infected with that ability and pond the streets doing what you have taught us all to do - reach out to others!
Guru Maharaja, I know I will be reading this aloud in the assembly of my godbrothers and godsisters, your disciples, who endeavour so much to please you. In the wake of their offerings and practical displays of affection, my so called offering seems small and insignificant.
In the Krsna book, Srila Prabhupada says that you can never repay the debt to your parents. You are my spiritual parent and my debt to you is massive. With this in mind I am requesting a special concession from you, please Guru Maharaja dont send the bailiffs or debt collectors around to my house, my repayments are very small and insignificant but I do hope to improve this in the future.
Your insignificant disciple and spiritual son,
Muni-cari dasa -
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurudeva
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. All Glories unto Your Lotus Feet.
On this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja I bow down at your Lotus Feet with great awe & reverence.
Gurudeva, On behalf of the previous acharyas You are so kindly accepting my service & worship although I consider myself to be unqualified. You have so kindly accepted me & given the Holy Name for which I have no taste & attraction.
This is due to your causeless mercy & immense compassion that You are taking so many pains & hardships in presenting Krsna Consciousness to others. You travel around the world sharing MahaPrabhu's mercy to the unfortunate souls of kali yuga. You are always devising plans of how to make Krsna consciousness easy to be accessed, practiced & keeping our senses engaged in Krsna's service.
Like a parent you nurture your dependents. In the purport to verse 11.17.27 of SB it is mentioned that the spiritual master is like a parent. "Without the attentive service of his parents, a child cannot grow to manhood; similarly, without the care of the spiritual master one cannot rise to the plane of transcendental service."
Therefore I must take shelter of Your Lotus Feet. Also the purport mentions "Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual master. Therefore in the dealings of an acarya there are no activities but those of transcendental loving service to the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. It is worthwhile to take shelter of such a steady devotee, who is called asraya-vigraha, or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take shelter."
On this occasion I would like to express my gratitude toYou & humbly beg for Your mercy so that I can learn to serve the Vaisnavas & take shelter of your instructions.
Your indebted servant
Nanda Mandira dasa -
Dear Devamrita Swami,
Please accept our sincere and humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Let me start by saying that you are extraordinarily wonderful! My wife and I have had adoration for you ever since the first online lecture of yours we heard. Your nectar rich lectures have been our main contact with you, so far, and from those alone we know that you are our spiritual master. Your enthusiasm is contagious and you you are consistently demonstrating how devotional service is a joy to perform; never is it a burden.
You have always made yourself available to us by email and you have always been so personable, warm, and caring in your replies. We have not met face to face, yet we feel as if you have been our well wisher all of our lives...You have had tremendous patience with me and my struggles. Even still, what a joy it has been corresponding with you! I can only imagine the spiritual elations we will feel when we do finally meet with you.
We wish you a wondrous vyasa puja! We will be with you in spirit!
Your unworthy servants,
Neal and Wendy Carr
Portland, Oregon -
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purva daksyam ca
bhakta cara pravina ta
parathat api karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namaha
Dear Guru Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
om ajnyana-timirandhasya
jnyananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namaha
O, Gurudev! You are the ocean of mercy and compassion. By your causeless mercy you open to me the happiness of Krishna consciousness. Everything that the disciple will try to do to express his gratitude to Guru for his mercy will be infinitesimal in comparison with it.
When by the mercy of the devotees I was at Vyasapuja of Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, one of our oldest devotees Isvara Puri prabhu when he was asked to read his offering said "Dear Guru Maharaja! I can't write offering in poetic form with many quotations as many devotees did, but my love for you, Guru Maharaja, is in my heart."
This words as if went through my heart because they were consonant with my thoughts and feelings. My love for you, dear Gurudev, is deep in my heart. Putting your lotus feet into my heart, I'm humbly praying to you for the mercy never leave it. On this happy day of your appearance falling at your lotus feet I am humbly praying to you for the mercy to clean my heart opening the transcendental knowledge in it so that I will be able to be useful and satisfy you with my service.
There is no more happiness for a disciple to know that Guru is satisfied and that means that Krishna is satisfied.
Dear Guru Maharaja! Please allow me to be always at your lotus feet. Please, forgive me. Please accept my humble obeisances with love and gratitude.
Your devoted servant,
Netrananda devi dasi, Saint-Petersburg (Russia) -
Dear Gurumaharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Thank you for this opportunity to try and glorify you.
First I will ask for your blessing so that one day I might be able to understand the importance that a day like today holds in ones spiritual life and to understand the opportunity that you have selflessly given me.
I feel so fortunate and unfortunate all at once, fortunate that I am present on this special day but unfortunate that I do not understand the depths this day and there for do not have the proper emotions or ability to make a worthy offering.
You have looked after me for almost two years now and you have shown me so much patience.
Please help me Gurumaharaja destroy these anarthars in my heart, pride, greed, lust and anger have plagued me through out many births and now I have finally found what everyone is looking for in life, a true representative of Krsna, I prey that I wont muck up this chance at getting out of this imprisoning mentality of bodily identification.
Please help me to stop my offenses against my god sisters and brothers and become the selfless servant.
Please help me over come my unsteadiness in practising Krsna Consciousness.
Please help me understand the importance of attentive chanting of Krsna's names.
I know that if I just follow your instructions my life will become perfect, so on this day I guess what I am really begging of you is to please grant me the sincerity to fitful your desires and follow your instructions.
On Radhastami you read to a few of your devotee's the story of Uddhava bringing a letter from Krsna to the Gopi's and Radharani speaking to the bumble bee, this was one of the most special times I have had in your association, it was so sweet and intimate, I felt very close to you. I felt so cared for and realised that your my real father, you are actually caring for me, not who I and others think I am but you're actually caring for the real me, the eternal servant of Krsna.
I love it Gurumaharaja that you know so much about me with out me saying a word.
Thank you for saving me from my disgusting humiliating existence.
Thank you for gifting me the facilities at Gaura Yoga.
Thank you for training such nice devotee's for me to learn from.
Thank you for caring when no one else did.
I hope I can be of some use to you Gurumaharaja or I am just a dead body flapping in the wind.
Your aspiring servant
Bhaktin Nina -
Dear Devamrita Swami Maharaja!
Accept please my bows by Your lotus feet!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Accept, please, my congratulations in day of Your phenomenon.
From the bottom of the heart I wish You huge happiness in consciousness of
Krishna.
You are an eternal source of pure inspiration and satisfaction for Your
disciples. Please, do not deprive with us the favour under no circumstances!
Forgive for that it is possible to forgive.
Many thanks to You that You each day give me force on devoted service and on
living well and adequately.
I remain in an eternal duty to You.
Trying to become Your disciple.
With love and devotion Olga Knyazeva. Omsk. -
Dear Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to this most auspicious day of your appearance!
In the "Prayers of the Personified Vedas", Maharaj Pariksit inquires from Sukadeva Goswami that, "...Since the mind is material and the vibration of words is a material sound, how can the Vedic knowledge, expressing by material sound the thoughts of material mind, approach transcendence?..."
This quote illuminates your great preaching power. You are always using everything to help persons to realize that whatever Lord Krsna has given us can be used in His service under expert guidance.
May we all follow in your footsteps in providing this opportunity for everyone.
Your aspiring servant
Param Satya dd -
Dearest Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Thankyou for your grace
As it is by your grace that I am a little on the path
The path I follow is one mapped out by you
For I trust your vision
I cannot quote the scriptures to appreciate your greatness
As I am not learned
Yet I trust scripture
And I trust Srila Prabuhpada
And you are a son of Srila Prabhupada
But I know and feel deep within my heart
That my relationship with you
As young as it is
Is a special one
That is mystical and real
Deep and nurturing
I look forward to the lessons
I so need from you
Your servant
Patrick
Cape Town,
South Africa -
Dear Devamrita Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeissances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Don't known exactly how to start this offering but first of all I would just like to say that I am very gratefull for helping me so much.
I known that I'm still totally under the control of the modes of passion and ignorance and fully covered by maya, but now at least my life seems more meaningful. By Lord Caitanya, Srila Prabhupada and your mercy I am fortunate enough for the the opportunity to apply this knowledge and go back home.
Thank you for accepting me as being part of Gaura Yoga ladies ashram, even if sometimes I act and think so uninteligently and offensively to Krishna and his devotees. Please, forgive me for all the offenses I have committed and all the ones that will commit against the holy name of Krishna that is so dear to you.
Thank you for your sacrifice to give us this wonderfull knowlegde through such amazing classes that destroys all ignorance and speculation. Sometimes I feel that is Krishna speaking with through your words.
Thank you for all you have given me.
All glories to you!!!
Your aspiring servant
Bn Paula -
Dearest Maharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances offered at your lotus feet on this your Vyasa Puja day.
May you always bestow your kind blessings on us all - especially your disciples who work so hard in their service for Krsna here in Brisbane and elsewhere.
May you always enjoy the best of health and I pray that loving disciples will circumbulate you now and throughout your entire life.
Thank you for the care and love you give to us all - inside and outside our spiritual family.
May there be - by Krsna's special arrangement - many special and loving devotees who will open the eyes of all materialistic persons everywhere they travel
Just thank you for your untiring and dedicated work always. We are indebted and inspired by your example.
Your loving and simple servant
Pranesvari devi dasi
Michael
Ann-Marie and Louise -
Dear Guru Maharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
When will the day come when I will faithfully and with great determination try to execute your orders and instructions? That day I will be able to glorify you properly with love and devotion. Before that I beg for your mercy and that you empower me to be able to do everything necessary for pure devotional service.
Your unworthy, very fallen disciple
Prema Sankirtan das -
Dear Gurudeva,
Hare Krsna!
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila prabhupada!
All glories to you on this auspicious day.
You are an empowered servant of Lord Caitanya. By your sincere and constant endeavour to distribute the mercy of the Lord you have acquired great potency and efficacy to spread His Holy Name, and by so doing you have developed such exceptional character and grace. Whenever I am blessed by your association I am astounded by the intensity of your compassion, which you unreservedly pour onto the countless souls devastated by so many years of Kali Yuga life. All glories to you, who have come to deliver us from a wasted and torturous existence.
sri guru carana padma, kevala bhakati sadma...."The lotus feet of the spiritual master are the abode of pure devotional service. I bow down to those lotus feet with great care and attention. My dear brother(my dear mind). It is through the grace of the spiritual master that we cross over this material existence and obtain Krsna."
How can a debt so great be repaid? The mercy you have shown me is inconceivable and causeless. That you have accepted into your association this lost wretch stumbling in the dark only hints at the depth of your limitless mercy. I have nothing to offer in return except my life in attempted service. Please accept my most humble gratitude and prayer to somehow please you with my service.
I am awestruck and somewhat intimidated by the degree of loving service and devotion that my Godbrothers and sisters have for you, and my sincere hope is that through their association I will someday attain that desire for selfless service to your lotus feet.
This desire has awoken in them through your purity and devotion, and your dedication to serve your spiritual master. All glories to you, an empowered servant of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada!
I beg that you continue to allow me to serve you and your disciples in propagating Lord Caitanya's glorious movement.
Your aspiring servant,
Prema Yogi das
-
Dearest Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All glories to you on this most auspicious day.
Gurudeva, with all my heart and soul I want to thank you. Due to my unintelligence I cannot even muster up the words you truly deserve.
Sometimes I wonder where I would be in life if it wasn't for your guidance. In comparison I am like a small child, lost and ignorant, who has no idea what is beneficial for me at all. Without your shelter I have nothing. I am so grateful to you.
Thank you for establishing places like Gaura Yoga, which is a wonderful place to outreach to people in such a broad way. Like you say the motto is "we make it easy", every day more and more people are becoming attracted to Krsna Consciousness. Every time I go to Gaura Yoga your disciples inspire me so much. They are all so dedicated to you and the service they do. Each devotee has amazing qualities, and I can see this is a direct result of you. You possess endless qualities, of which I can only describe a few. Your tolerance, determination, humility, compassion and complete surrender to fulfill Prabhupada's mission always encourage me.
I remember one time this year when my husband and I were staying at your apartment and you called us to come and talk with you. You are always so patient and kind and so quick to eliminate the havoc I have created for myself. I'll never forget when you brought up the topic of my health and how you quickly got up from your seat and grabbed a book which you had nearby. You carefully flicked through the pages silently reading and every now and again you would recommend different things I should do. At that moment I realized more than ever how fortunate I am to have such an amazing spiritual father. The time and trouble you go to with all your disciples to make sure they are healthy spiritually, emotionally and physically. In order for us to practice a Krsna Conscious lifestyle truly astounds me.
Therefore on this day of your Viyasa Puja, I pray, please engage me in your service in your quest of fulfilling Prabhupada's mission.
Thank you Gurudeva with all my heart, I am eternally indebted to you.
Your spiritual daughter and trying servant,
Radha Prasada Devi Dasi. -
Dear Guru Maharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada."Seeing that Mayavadis and others are fleeing, Lord Caitanya thought: I wanted everyone to be immersed in this inundation of love of Godhead, but some of them have escaped. Therefore I shall devise a trick to drown them also" (CC Adi 7.31-32)
Srila Prabhupada explains that this is the symptom of acarya. An acarya who comes for the service of the Lord cannot be expected to conform to a stereotype, for he must find the ways and means by which Krsna consciousness can be spread. Thank you, Guru Maharaj for your revolutionary preaching and for all those devotees who are following you with firm determination. I aspire to be one of them."Pariksit Maharaj was preparing to leave his body and Sukadev Goswami, his most merciful spiritual master devastated any possible attachment that he might have to the position of king by showing the ultimate insignificance of such a position..."(SB 12.2.44. purport).
You perfectly exhibiting this by fearlessly and uncompromisingly cutting the illusory material attachments, never indulging anyone's illusion. Srila Prabhupada explains that Krsna speaks sharply to Arjuna by telling him that although he speaks like a learned man, he is actually fool number one. If we actually want detachment from this material world, we should be prepared to accept such cutting words from the spiritual master. Thank you for lovingly pushing me to function at the higher level. Spiritual master is said to be more merciful then Krsna Himself. Krsna does not interfere with the minute independence of the living entities, buy you Guru Maharaj forcefully drag us back to Krsna. I am grateful for that. It is ultimate love and personalism.
As I am becoming more and more dispassionate about material life, I am desperate to, as you say, wake up to the life of positive action based on Krsna conscious desire."Gurudeva, give this servant just one drop of mercy. Give me all the help. Give me strength ... When will such mercy fall to this one who is weak and devoid of intelligence? Let me be with you."
Actually, I wanted this offering to be my promise to you that I will make greater sacrifice in your service to Srila Prabhupada. May I please ask for the strength and intelligence to always remember to "be sensitive to Krsna's pleasure and that any pains we incur en route to Krsna's pleasure are blessings."
Your aspiring servant
Radha Sanga dd -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
Seeing clearly how Maya bewilders the conditioned souls in innumerable and ingenious ways, with a joyful and carefree laughter you clearly present to us her scheming tricks.
Whilst reading the following passage from 'Nectar of Devotion', I feel as though Srila Prabhupada is personally describing you:
"The laughing sounds coming one after another are compared to flowers falling from the creeper which grows within the heart of the devotee."
Although at times her bewildering spells are enough to make us cry in utter hopelessness, I beg the Lord to give me the intelligence to follow your instructions and to be able to laugh alongside you. The soothing laughing sounds emanating from your lotus mouth remain my shelter and guide.
Your servant,
Radhikesa dasa. -
Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I remember you taking the time to come to my flat. I was only chanting 4 rounds and still smoking. I gave you a chair and I sat on my mattress on the floor. You asked for the Bhagavad gita and we read together for half an hour or so. And you would answer any question I had.
At my first Janmastami festival at New Varshan I was wandering around looking in tents, watching plays. I was walking from a tent back to the temple and yourself and Prabhavisnu swami saw me. You called out Rufus like you were glad to see me, and put your arm around my shoulder and asked me how it was going and we walked some way with Prabhavisnu Swami...with your arm around my shoulder.
When Julanyatra and his Wife would kindly let me stay at their house on the weekend I would farm and move cows with Rshabdeva and his wife. Once he asked me to move the cows, and bereft of all intelligence I chased them the wrong way. You drove by and stopped, winded down your window, and yelled out...Rufus.I never knew you were a cowherd boy.
Once driving you out of Auckland I got in the wrong lane and was forced to take an off ramp, when I tried to get back on I took a wrong turn and suddenly we were on the highway back into Auckland. How much inconvenience you undertook giving me an oppurtunity to begin my first steps in mahat sevam.
But you let me drive for you for quite a few years even though at the out set of almost every journey I would say.. "Maharaja, I don't know how to get to where ever we are going." And you would patiently get the map out and tell me were to go.
These are very relishable memories of your care and kindness. Its unusual though how I don't relish as much your greatest care by instructing me how to keep constantly engaged in devotional service, even though this is the best gift you can give.How often do I fondly remember those acts of kindness and care. That immeasurable kindness and care like "Read 2 hours day" "Make sankirtana your life long mission", "Become smarter than sex life", "Selfishness is boring" . And I am so foolish I neglect this care.
Driving you to your flat one night I mentioned to you how when the devotees come together they talk in amazement about how much care and kindness you show us, and you replied, "yes but some don't want to take it." I wasn't sure if you were referring to me or not. But if I examine myself I can see clearly that to a degree I'm like that. Mad. The madness is, to do as I like is to turn my back on your unconditional care. And especially since I am growing up a little I shouldn't do this.
As Srila Prabhupada writes "If a child grows up and doesn't care for his father and acts freely, what can his father do? He can only say, "Do whatever you like." But when a son puts himself fully under his father's protection, he receives more care."
Amongst my other desires polluting my mind, my predilection is to put myself fully under you protection; grow up and start to show care for your instructions. Please take away all my so called freedom and never give it back to me. What good is it anyway, I have already done whatever I liked and thus wandered eternally in the cycle of repeated birth and death , and in this life I simply tightly secured my spiritual self an animals body. I must be endlessly Thankful for all you care and instruction. If I could beg in my conditioned state , please allow me to imbibe this gratitude and try tirelessly to thank you with endless service to your instructions under your protection.
So far I have seen In my own life by following you instructions, skyscraper problems have shrunk to the size of standard hurdles. Deadly infections of lust, begging for surgical operations have become itches that can be tolerated, and large ferocious lakes of mental activity have become small ponds. This is just a partial result of a mild reception of you care.
I can't imagine what would happen if I became addicted to your instructions.
Thank you for all the caring and skillful arrangements you have made for us. Giving us the most precious gem of devotional service which you practice in perfection.
Your aspiring servant
Ramdas das."How wonderful a companion is the cream of Vedic literature--how sweet it is! And Srimad-bhagavatam is a the perfect low-maintenance partner. You simply pay a few hundred dollars for the set, and it's yours for life, never to say goodbye. Not only is the thrill permanent, but also, with each passing year and reading, the delicious taste intensifies."
-
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
Japa. The devotees sacred connection to the spiritual reality, the opportunity to associate with Sri Krsna Himself.
I always remember an analogy you used when first cultivating my husband and I....a foolish person may be given a million dollar cheque and not realising its potential value either drop it in the street, or be talked out of it half way to the bank. Similarly the Holy Name is the most valuable gift, but an unfortunate person may lose sight of this.
Moving through the different phases of conditioned life please let me hold tight to this treasured possession; this opportunity to keep my life sane, this opportunity to have Krsna's precious darsana every day. The opportunity to chant Hare Krsna, despite all the trials and tribulations of life in the jagat, is the real jewel. Please let me develop the consciousness to percieve and hold onto the real wealth which you have so kindly offered this ignorant fool.
Begging for the mercy of the Holy Name,
trying to be your sincere servant,
Rasayatra dasi -
Nama om Vishnu padaya
Krishna presthaia bhutale
Srimate Devamrita
swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Srila Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances at Your lotus feet.
Al glories to Your Vyasa Puja day.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Guru Maharaj,
Srimad Bhagavatam (2.4.18) says that taking shelter of a pure devotee can purify even a person who is addicted to sinful activities
Ye'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah
This is the glory of a great devotee like Yourself. You are indeed the Gosthanandi that Srila Prabhupada is describing in His purport to SB 4.30.27
"Devotees like the great sage Narada, who travel all over to preach ,are always wandering just to create different types of devotees...Such devotees, wandering all over the world, deliver those who are actually afraid of this material existence."
Guru Maharaj,You are traversing this planet undertaking so many inconveniences and discomforts to please Your spiritual father,Srila Prabhupada and to knock some sense into conditioned souls like me. Your lectures are like bombshells that shatter to pieces our concepts of material enjoyment. Through Your lectures, you provide such deep insight into Prabhupada's purports which fools like me are unable to fathom at first glance. In Your lectures, I have noticed, that You show immense faith in the statements made by Srila Prabhupada.You don't just quote them, rather You sincerely believe in them. And that is so inspiring. Every single word You utter is saturated with Vedic Wisdom. Clearly.You are conveying to us the message of Lord Caitanya,
"Jiva jago,jiva jago,Gauracandra bole"
Guru Maharaj,what can I say in Your glorification. My words will fall short in every respect. It is Your mercy that I am Your disciple. I don't have the qualification to be so. I pray to Krishna -Balaram to bestow upon You ,good health and a very long life so that You can continue to shower Your mercy on suffering living entities like me and take them back to Godhead, or wherever You like.
May You have a very long and healthy life, dear Guru Maharaj.
Please bless me Guru Maharaj, so that I can adopt some sincerity and dedication from you. Please give me the intelligence to follow Your order. Please bless me so that I can be of some use to You in forwarding this mission
of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya.
Thank You Guru Maharaj for keeping me in Your shelter.
Begging for Your mercy
Always Your servant
Saktimanta dd -
Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
A short time ago I was trying to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books on the streets in Lower Hutt. I stopped one Polynesian lady who, when I asked if she had heard of stress, responded in the affirmative. She told me that she was right then on her way to visit her seventeen-year-old son, who was serving time in prison for assault. She added that he had caused considerable damage to his victim.
She explained to me her aspiration that her son might be able to come home and serve out the rest of his sentence on home detention, and so she was working on her property so that it might meet the home detention requirements. Thus she had spent her morning digging holes to build a fence around her place to keep her son in should he be allowed to come back home.
Thank you for the opportunity I have to help reverse the suffering that humanity undergoes in this Iron Age of Quarrel. I aspire that I may be able to offer you my thanks not just with my words but also with my actions.
Your aspiring servant,
Sam -
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila prabhupada.
Please accept this lowly offering from your stonehearted servent.
Maharaj, I think I cant never thank you enough or pay you back your kindness upon me.
Thank you so much that you came to pick me up from this hellish situvation of conditioned life.
Im incredible fortunned that you have showen your mercy on me ,but fool as I am, I dont take full advantage of this sublime way of Krsna consiounes life.
Getting oppoturnity to serve Vaisnavas is very rear thing. what to speak of serving devotees of Lord caitanya,
Srila prabhupada is praying in his markine Bhagavata-dharma:3. Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignores and passion.Absorbed in material life, they think them selves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the trancendental message of Vasudeva. I dont how they will be able to understand it.
4. But I know Your causeles mercy can make everything possible, because You are the most expert mystic.
Spiritual master is like that. You can change crow like people to swan like people.You are like magician. it is so mystical, how great souls like you can make unfortened citizens of Kali-yuga to remember their relationship whit krsna, Who is in the heart of every living being.
You are preaching the teachings of Lord Caitanya all over the world and saving people from hellish life of sensegratification.
You took Srila Prabhupadas mission in your heart and sucrifying again and again to benefit the conditioned souls.
sa yat pramanam kurute
You are giving a living exampel how to serve lord Caitanya, how to be a Vaisnava and become dear to Krsna and how to give everything to Lord Service.
Im ashamed that I cannot offer you any practical service whit real value to assist you in your glories mission. Sense gratification makes people so dull.
In monday we were on sankirtan in eastside of Helsinki. Between a big shopping center and metro and bus stations is a squere where people are rushing by. It is named after Estonias capital city. People are bit low class and police are aresting allthe time these crazy people. They are peaceful to us , but sometimes is difficult to find so called sane people to distibute.
In afternoon one lady ,in her forties, came out from metro stop. She was deasent looking. She was feeling sad and explained that she never drink, but last she did. Now she has terrible hang over and she had to leave her job for the day, becouse she making only a mess.
I asked: So why did you drank.
She said: Because I was pist off.
Why?
Oh, my husband is an idiot.
Ok, so do feel better now after drinking and everything?
No, worse. She said. I think I will divorce. He is so agressive and violent to me.
Ok, but after a while you will fall on love again and very soon you will find out that your new man is also a fool.
Then she cried out loud: But I want to have sex!
I said: Yes, that is the problem, cant you see, you are in this pityful situvation because of this desire to enjoy material world.
Finally she took some prasadam cookies.
But strange thing is that the people are getting so much trouble and still they are determined to go on. They dont see the connection of their desires and troubles they are getting.
And the most amazing thing is that im like that also. Maya is kicking me inthe head like anything and stil im holding my childish dreams to become happy trough gratificayng my senses. im hard headedly embrassing my material desires.
Please maharaja, please give me shade of your lotus feet.
Trying to become your servent
bh.sam -
Dear Gurudeva,
nama om vishnu-padaya-krsna prasthaya bhu-tale
srimate Devamrita-swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to you, dear Guru maharaja, on your Vyasa puja day.
Do you know how you are renowned throughout ISCKON for your preaching. My friend told me that when her spiritual master, Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu, heard that she was coming to Wellington he requested her "Go have a look at Gaura Yoga and tell me about it". Everyone is talking about it. Many devotees after visiting Gaura Yoga are excited to witness a regeneration of the Loft preaching program that Prabhupada began. Not only that, Gaura Yoga seems to expand more and more. Now we have Gaura Good Food, bringing Prasadam into the Universities, as well as Gaura haven, in Otaki reaching still further a field. Looking after these projects is no easy job, however through your dedication and compassion the work is being actualised. Another project, that is most dear to your heart, is the distribution of Prabhupada's books. Your decision to bring into New Zealand 50,000 Srimad Bhagavatams has given many more people opportunity for service, knowingly and unknowingly.
As Prabhupada explains; "This literature is the factual incarnation of the Lord so the laymen can hear the narration of the activities of the Lord and thereby they are able to associate with the Lord and gradually become purified from material disease. The expert devotees also can discover novel ways and means to convert the nondevotees in terms of particular time and circumstance. "
Thank you for all of the inspiration that you give us. Please let me develop a strong desire to become your true servant, a servant of all devotees, and a servant of all the good and fortunate souls who are yet to take shelter of Gaura Yoga and its other enterprises.
May New Zealand become the leading country in the world for spiritual knowledge.
Thank you for giving me shelter Guru maharaja. Please forgive me for my offenses.
Aspiring to be a speck of dust on your lotus foot,
your servant
Sandrananda dd -
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Let me join congratulations of my senior spiritual brothers and sisters at this remarkable day and express you my great gratitude that you have shouldered this heavy load of pulling conditioned souls out of the mouth of material energy. This your service to Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet is a very hard work.
First, it is necessary to convince a conditioned being to follow a path of bhakti though it often does not want it at all being under the charms of illusion. And secondly, it is necessary to guide very carefully to Krishna those lucky people who have accepted this way. The person following the way of devotional service is similar to a blind kitten. It sticks constantly its nose into something, in jnana or in karma. And at times, its heart is overgrown with dense weeds of material desires which stifle the plant of bhakti. And you have to literally bear us on your hands to the spiritual world.
But children gradually grow up and start feeling gratitude to the parents. And how is it expressed?
Once, one girl asked her parents why parents take care of the children. Her mum answered that when children grow up they would take care of their aged parents. And the dad replied that when children grow up they would take care of their children.
My understanding of gratitude coincides with what the dad said to his daughter. I sincerely hope that I will be able to please you through finding sincere people and giving them Krishna consciousness on your behalf. Undoubtedly, for this purpose I need to make a good job for clarifying my own heart. But it becomes possible thanks to the constant hearing of your instructions and followings your directions. And the chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna is the most important among your instructions. The essence of the eternal links between a spiritual master and a disciple consists in the execution of this instruction.
There is a tradition to wish something to the person whose birthday it is. But you have everything because you have Krishna. The only thing that I would like to wish you is grateful disciples who are ready to take some part of that load that you received from Srila Prabhupada.
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Sasha Kotov -
Dear Guru Maharaj!
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Let me glorify Your Divine Grace on this blessed day of Your appearance!
Two years have passed since the day when I got the great chance to get Your mercy and to take shelter under Your lotus feet. I remember that I wanted to cry out of joy because I was realizing that I was unqualified and didn't deserve it and still You, out of Your mercy, gave me hope...
Dear Gurudev! The diamond of your devotion to Srila Prabhupada and to Lord Caitanya that You carry in Your heart lightens our way! This light is the light of Your instructions and their essences are:- serious attitude to the Holy Name based on the deep understanding of the essence of the process of chanting;
- correct relations with devotees and only Guru's and Krishna's mercy and our own humility can become basement for them;
- seriousness in studying scriptures and in preaching the process of bhakti which is the real perfection of life and this process excels the sentimental faith and the desire for liberation.
As an experienced guide, You take us with You in this exciting journey to the Holy Dhama and reveal us the true nature of the spiritual world, its beauty in comparison with which all the "wealths" of this material world become colorless.
Hearing You, being a witness of Your determined and persistent preaching, I feel inspired and determined to follow the process of devotional service being guided by You all the rest of my life. Such is my sincere desire.
Let Your fame be spread all over the three worlds!
Your humble disciple and servant bhakta Sergey Didenko
Arkhangelsk region, Severodvinsk -
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances unto you
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you
A few years back I proudly walked into the door of Gaura yoga centre. 'This place looks good for me, my health and maybe... spiritual life. I can do with a bit of this.' Little did I realize it was the door to life's ultimate goal -reviving love of Krsna. And it was open entry to any kali yuga refugees. There was nothing I had to be proud of.
Still you gave me the chance to be engaged in devotional service. You gave me the devotees' association. You gave me the urge to develop love for Srila Prabhupada's books. You gave me courage, inspiration and a tiny taste in distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching. And you gave me the holy name -direct contact with the Lord. You gave me a higher taste in everything.
Still, I dog-stubbornly cling to temporary sense gratification. Challenges are thrown by maya, 'hey, are you sure you want to forget me?'. I only sheepishly answer,' Well, you know... I love prasadam. Devotees are better than 'non-devotees', I don't love chanting Hare Krsna but I would like to love it. I love to love distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. I love all these, don't I? ' In the mean time, my attention is drifted off from precious opportunities to render selfless service.
You raised a question in one Srimad-Bhagavatam class, 'why does a conditioned soul not accept Krsna's instruction, "surrender unto Me? ". The answer was that, we, as conditioned souls, think that we know what pleasure is. That is, I am thinking'I know who I am- I think like this, I act like this.
I know what I should do and should not do.
I know'
Yes, dog-stubborn, am I not? Yet you still tolerate so much of my foolishness. Right from the beginning you are telling me "By taking Krsna consciousness, you can be successful in life". What is the success? I already have 'success' in my life because I have your shelter."According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service." [cc 2.19.151]
For me, the best jewel is to realize that you know me and care for me more than I do. It is my greatest success and fortune to have such, you the loving father.
Guru Maharaja, I love you so much. I love how you are dedicated to Srila Prabhupada. I love how you are selfless in spreading Krsna consciousness. I love how much you care for your disciples."Gurudeva, I am low, fallen and devoid of all strength and intelligence. Please make me your beloved servant. When I examine myself, I find nothing of your value, your mercy is therefore essential to me".
[Gurudeva by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura]
Gurudeva, I am so weak on my own. Therefore, please give me the intelligence to analyse maya's propositions and the strength to wrap myself around with devotional service. Please allow me to embrace devotional service as a life-time 'career' with full head, full determination and full knowledge. Please allow me to steadily strive to realize that Krsna is the Supreme Person and the Supreme enjoyer- as you tell me. Please allow me to only desire to assist you.
I hanker for that moment when I can live up to the name you gave me, nectar of service to Krsna. I beg your causeless mercy upon me so that I can give you the nectar!
Praying to be a selfless servant at your divine feet
Sevamrta devi dasi -
nama om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
It is by great fortune that after attending farm retreats with you and listening to your lectures, I developed a respect towards you. After meeting you personally, I felt that I can reveal my mind to you and put full trust in you.
In Bhagavad Gita Krsna says that we should approach a spiritual master, inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport that the spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. This ideal attitude of submission seems a distant goal for me. Only by your causeless mercy I will be able to subdue my expanded pride.
With great compassion you are spreading Srila Prabhupada's and Mahaprabhu's mission throughout the world. With my tiny ability, please allow me to assist you in this magnanimous endeavour.
Guru Maharaj please bless me so that I can serve you, your disciples and all devotees in right mood.
Aspiring to be your humble servant,
Bhakta Shashwat -
Dear Most Gurumaharaj
I beg you to please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus like feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I was listening to one of your recent lectures "Real Relationships vs. The Itch" it was really ecstatic. There your were kindly explaining how Sri Prahalad takes note of his background, what kind of family he comes from, he is mindful of the past and he is being careful of his tendencies from the past.We should similarly be careful. So i was remembering the beginning of my Krishna Con in Wellington Loft.
I was still working in Burger King. I was coming to the Loft, reading and chanting Srila Prabhupada's books. In one of His books Srila Prabhupada explained "The bonafide spiritual master will always repeat the words of His spiritual master, not manufacture anything new". I wanted to meet a bonafide spiritual master, i was praying to Krsna for one. I came to one of your Sunday feast lectures with my mum. After the lecture on my way home I was asking my mum" mum wasn't that feast lecture by Devamrita Swami really amazing? Have you ever heard anybody speak like that before? unbelievable ah?" She casually said he is just repeating what ever we hear in Prabhupad's tapes nothing new, whats so amazing?
When she said that this realization just hit me. yes ,yes He was just repeating Prabhupada, He is a real guru, He is a real guru. He is my guru, He is my guru !
"bramanda bramite kona bhagyavan jiv ,guru krishna prasade pay bhakti lata bija" Lord Caitanya dev out of His causeless mercy has sent you to save us from rotating within this material universe, all glories to Him, all glories to You.
Many more happy returns of the day from Prema mala d.d, Vaninathraya dasa & Kishor madhava das
Your humble servant
Shastra krit das
New Dwaraka dham
Los Angeles
10/14/07 -
Dear Gurudev,
Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
Thank you for setting such a wonderful example of how to be Krishna Conscious. Your mercy
is our only real treasure.
We pray that Krishna will look after your health so that you can continue your glorious mission
of preaching worldwide year after year.
Your humble servants,
Shaun Nimai Shahani
Nitai Prema Devi Dasi
Gaura Prema Das -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your lotus feet.
These are a couple of things that you have said to me that stick with me:"If you want to be a preacher, don't expect to be appreciated - but you will feel the warm smile of Krishna".
"My realization is that we are cannon fodder".
In the Hari Bhakti Vilasa Sanatana Goswami recommends that the prospective disciple spend one year living with the guru in order for the two to examine each other's character.
By the grace of Krishna I had the opportunity to do that. In the time that I spent with you I examined your character and personal behaviour, and I was satisfied and inspired by it.
If I touch a person's computer I can tell what that person does with their senses. Several times I upgraded your computer operating system or did some other work on your machine.
I spent time traveling with you and observed your daily program, watched the movements and dalliances of your mind - what you talked about, what you thought about, the subject matter you dwelled on.
In a conversation this year one of your sannyasi Godbrothers said, of you: "Yes, he has better sadhana than most of us".
As a new devotee, an old-timer challenged me: "Yeah, sure you're fired up now, but just wait for ten years - then you'll know what it's all about". I felt no fear, no doubt, because I had you standing before me as living proof that come what may, you don't have to fade out in bitter disillusionment.
Now, ten years later, you remain there as living proof of the process of Krishna Consciousness. In that time I've watched you change, continuing to develop in your Krishna Consciousness and in your service to your spiritual master, ISKCON Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, and this continues to satisfy and inspire me.
Several times in my service I've been hit really hard, and your example and your instructions to me have held me up.
I remember the night, many years ago, when you called me into your room in the dark and with such heart-felt anguish said: "The people are suffering so much, and the people who should be helping are creating such difficulties."
When I suggest that it might be easier to preach outside ISKCON you said: "It is difficult, we all find it difficult; but it's our burden of love for Srila Prabhupada that we continue to try to work together, in spite of the difficulties."
This is a burden of love that I aspire to take on, and I look to your example of bearing that burden through thick and thin, good times and bad times, honor and infamy, for the strength to carry it forward.
your aspiring servant,
Sita-pati das -
To my dear Spiritual Master,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All glories to you on the most auspicious occasion of your appearance.
Dear Guru Maharaja, one day I was about to serve you lunch at a farm retreat in Melbourne. For some reason the key to your room had been left behind, so while your servant went to retrieve it, I was given the great fortune to remain in your personal presence for some time.SB 4.6.25 purport "...any place automatically becomes a place of pilgrimage if either the Lord or His pure devotee remains or resides there. In other words, such a pure devotee, who is engaged one hundred percent in the service of the Lord, can remain anywhere in the universe, and that part of the universe immediately becomes a sacred place where he can peacefully render service to the Lord as the Lord desires."
Sometimes chanting and sometimes kindly talking with my fiancé, I watched as your effulgent, spiritual form gracefully walked up and down the veranda. Although externally such a simple, sweet interaction, by meditating on your form and qualities I felt I had had a glimpse into the spiritual world.
You once said that you rest on the holy name, but Guru Maharaja I think you float on the holy name! I watched as your lotus feet barely touched the ground, each step a dance and each word a song. Completely and lovingly surrendered to your beloved Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada, you set the highest example of what a real disciple actually is.
Constantly absorbed in selfless devotional service you travel the world, despite so many inconveniences even severe personal injury and pain. You are always so personal in all your dealings with each and every individual. You instruct us perfectly taking such interest in our lives and endeavours to become Krsna conscious.
You are the true loving Father and our greatest well wisher.SB 11.2.37 purport "...Therefore, an intelligent person should engage unflinchingly in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he should accept as his worshipable deity and as his very life and soul."
On that day, as today, I prayed that I may perfect this human form of life. So that when the end of my life comes I may see that same effulgent form of my beloved Spiritual Master walking towards me, allowing me to continue in his eternal service...
Meanwhile the key returned, and taking that beautiful meditation deep within my heart, I began to serve your lunch. I looked over my offerings in disappointment, what was supposed to be steaming hot and aldante, was now a little overcooked , the dessert was dry and the subjis' similar to the previous day. As usual nothing was quite as I desired it to be and on top of that I had forgot to bring the flax seed oil. So with a heavy heart and great anxiety I rushed back to the kitchen to find it, thinking, "My Spiritual Master is taking me back to Goloka Vrindavan, and I can't even serve him lunch on time".
What inconceivable mercy is this that this unworthy fool can be engaged in your divine service.SB 3.9.8..."O great actor, my Lord, all these poor creatures are constantly perplexed by hunger, thirst, severe cold, secretion and bile, attacked by coughing winter, blasting summer, rains and many other disturbing elements, and overwhelmed by strong sex urges and indefatigable anger. I take pity on them, and am very much aggrieved for them.
Purport "...Therefore, unless the devotees of the Lord take pity on them and teach them the right path, their lives are hopeless failures. The devotees of the Lord who voluntarily take the responsibility of raising the foolish materialistic sense enjoyers are as confidential to the Lord as Lord Brahma."
"O Vaisnava Goswami, please be merciful to me now. There is no one except you who can purify the fallen souls."
Dear Guru Maharaja I am so grateful that you have given me your shelter. Weather the rose or the thunderbolt, you have always been the most affectionate and loving father.
You once told me that one day I would have my own family of devotees, thank you Guru Maharaja you have always kept your promise to me, I now have an instant family and am most fortunate to have the association of your loving servants the Katha family and all the devotees of the Mahaprabhu Mandir headed by Anirudha Prabhu and Acintya Rupa Mataji, please help me to selflessly serve my spiritual family, I know they are all so dear to you.
I am so grateful that you allowed me to stay at your Gaura Yoga center, where Krsnaloka Prabhu and all the devotees there have tolerated me for so long, somehow turning this animal into hopefully a human being. I cannot forget this mercy for one moment and pray I never will, they are like hundreds and thousands of stars shining their mercy in all directions under the direction of one beautiful moon, our beloved Spiritual Master.
ANANTA KOTI VAISNAVA-VRNDA KI!!!
SRILA GURUDEVA KI!!!
To whom much has been given much is expected. I feel my debt to you ever increasing in weight, I pray that I may never disappoint you.
I desire the dust of your holy feet in every birth I may take. Please consider me yours, and be kind upon me.
I beg to be engaged in your servant's servant's service.
Begging to be your servant,
Sri Yasoda Devi Dasi -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Guru Maharaja I'm in debt - Big time!
You have given me so much,
I owe you so much,
More than I can calculate.
Both materially and spiritually you give me inspiration, knowledge, goals, motivation, skills, protection, shelter, occupation...
Every thing that's valuable to me seems to come from you.
Sometimes I try to imagine my life without your guidance:
I might have been able to maintain a marriage - maybe, I might have been able to hold down a job - maybe, I might have started a small business - maybe, I might have had friends, I might have travelled, I might have had children - maybe,
More likely I would have rotted in a pit of depression, loneliness, nervous anxiety and morose self doubt.
I would never have been happy either way. I see how totally self centred and therefore dull and empty my life would have been without your guidance.
I want to thank you for saving me from such an existence.
And I want to try to repay you for your immense kindness to me.
I can see that you have a great desire to give your mercy to others the way you have done for me. You want to save everyone and you're willing to work so hard to achieve that goal.
I see so many students and staff at the university, and I notice how their existences are just as pointless and empty as mine was - even worse. Their lives are dry and dull and boring, although they assume such self importance.
I want to help you achieve your desire.
I want to help break through their pride and ignorance to give them Krsna.
This is the only way I can think of to begin to pay back my debt to you.
But I can't even do that without your help!
So I am eternally in your debt!
But, if it's ok with you, I don't mind being in debt so long as I can continue helping you.
Your servant and spiritual daughter
Sruti-cari dd -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your lotus feet on this auspicious day of your appearance.
I can only imagine what such a compassionate soul like yourself must percieve as you see so many conditioned souls suffering.
I can only imagine what immense love you must have for Srila Prabhupada to be doing so much about it.
Through your actions and projects you are showing us the work to be done, by your valiant preaching you have pulled out the gun.
With the weapon of knowledge you are shooting all around; devoid of false sentiment, you smash our illusions to the ground.
As I contemplate your expertise and your unlimited mercy, it is your absorbtion and compassion that is clear to me.
This great care, this attentive guidence, this most glorious plight; you have taken upon yourself, I beg to assist in your fight.
Your absorbtion in the holy name is so inconceivable to me, and your commitment to preaching, there are such depths to see.
Due to your disciples, in my deep darkness I saw light. I was never asked to buy a book, but I thought I might.
I bought Bhagavad-Gita, went home and sat on my bed, and let Srila Prabhupadas words enter my head.
Every word, every sentence made such perfect sense; tears flowed from my eyes, the relief was immense.
"I've found it! I've found it!" there was no doubt. My illusions, in time, would soon get a clout.
Thank you, Gurudeva for showing me how to live; thank you Gurudeva for showing me how to give.
Thank you for engaging me in the distribution of Srila Prabhupadas books.
Please protect me so that I may never leave your service or lose appreciation for what you have given me.
Please forgive my offenses and inatentivness I have commited both knowingly and un-knowingly at your lotus feet.
Trying to be your unconditional servant,
Sukanthi Radha dasi -
Dear Gurumaharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to srila Prabhupada.
Wishing you well on Your birthday. Miss you. Hope times goes by fast ,so I can be in Your divine presence.
Your servant
Sukha rupa d.d -
Please accept my humble obeisances on this most auspicious day.
There I was, shipwrecked and stranded on the decaying, lonely coastlines of impersonalism and voidism. In those days, it was my illusion in thinking that I knew what illusion was all about. Though I felt a heady sense of pride in being a 'true' spiritual seeker, in reality, Maya had me in her vice-like grip and was wringing me dry for all it was worth.
Somehow my plaintive appeals for help were heard by Krishna and I found myself sitting within the soothing walls of Gaura Yoga. Looking back, I can now see that not surprisingly enough, the Supreme Architect had indeed arranged for me to meet your dedicated and pure Gaura Yogis at the best time possible.
After the Gaura Yoga medicine had worked on me awhile and parted the dense curtains of stupefaction, it dawned upon me that there had to be someone behind such a precise arrangement. And I wanted to meet that person.
I did meet you, soon enough, through the technological wonder of MP3 CDs.
The very first night, listening to your reverberating voice through the earphones of my CD player I wondered whether it could be really possible that someone could speak with so much wisdom, clarity and compassion.
Gurudeva, I love to hear you speak. Your classes completely mesmerize me and leave me overwhelmed.
A few months ago, while travelling with you to another home programme, while the sun set in the distant Brisbane sky, the realization struck me with force that you had extended your hand to guide me away from my shameless career of crime and depravity in the material world- an inconceivably compassionate gesture, with which any sane person should wholeheartedly respond.
However, now, my deliberate rebellion against the Supreme Lord, only to leave behind an impressive track record of innumerable atrocities committed on other living entities and other acts of self-destruction, strikes me as unmistakably insane.
In the purport to Chapter 15, Text 20 of the Bhagavad Gita, Srila Prabhupada writes,"While one is performing devotional service in the association of pure devotees in full Krsna consciousness, there are certain things which require to be vanquished altogether. The most important thing one has to surmount is weakness of the heart. The first falldown is caused by the desire to lord it over material nature. Thus one gives up the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord. The second weakness of the heart is that as one increases the propensity to lord it over material nature, he becomes attached to matter and the possession of matter. The problems of material existence are due to these weaknesses of the heart."
Needless to say, that I am pitifully weak, with criminal propensities deeply engraved upon my heart.
In a few minutes, I will again be ensconced within the safe and haloed portals of the crest jewel among all urban preaching centres, Gaura Yoga, another Krishna Fest, another attempt at humble service, another attempt at rectifying the criminal heart.
While I try to write this offering to you, I feel incompetent to express my gratitude for all the unsurpassable gifts that you have bestowed upon this thoroughly undeserving soul.
Gurudeva, as you painstakingly free us from the entangling web of insanity, I take this most auspicious opportunity to rest my case.
Gurudeva, please keep on freeing me, so that even this incorrigibly arrogant heart is eventually compelled to respond to your clarion call of selfless devotional service.
Aspiring to be your worthy son,
Supratik. -
To our Dearest Spiritual Father and Father in-law
Please accept our humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
And all glories to you on this special day.
Thank you for being so very kind to us this past year.
Thank you for guiding us.
Thank you for the service you allow us to do.
Thank you for enthusing us.
Thank you for your endeavors for Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you being so caring to all the devotees.
Thank you for making us laugh.
Thank you for your integrity.
Thank you for encouraging us
Thank you for being so compassionate.
Thankyou for your example.
Thankyou.........
We could go on and on. There is a lot to be thankful for and I hope we show our appreciation through actions and not just merely words. Oh, and one more thing, on this auspicious day we would like to make small request, please keep us under your wing. Always. Through your association may we become better servants.
Your spiritual children,
Svetadvipa Das & Manjulali dasi -
Hare Krsna
Please Accept My humble Obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you Gurudeva
It has now almost been 3 years since i have met you and still i learn somethinh new about you all the time and at every step. I just saw you over the weekend in Soweto and i felt like i had just seen you for the first time. Those are the moments that time freezes for me and nothing else matters..
Guru maharaj, you have saved so many of us fallen souls from the clutches of maya and situated us in devotional service. Although there is danger at evey step in this material world, you have equiped us with all the necessary tools. You have told us to read Srila Prabhupada's books, honour prasad, cooperate and most importantly to chant Hare Krsna. That is the best treausure and the only treasure in this world.
I was looking at how you have spoilt all of us, giving us high quality prasad, association, books and places to perform devotional service. Your lotus feet keep all the miseries of a conditioned soul away. This year started of as a bang and it will end with a bang. I started the year in Vrindavana and I will end it in Vrindava while pulling the Lord back during our second ratha yatra in Cape Town. Wherever Krsna is there is victory. The Baghavat gita has taught us and Krsna has told us that we must accept a spiritual master. It is no secret that you are the Lord's representative. You have been sent here to come and rescue us and place us back at our orignal position.
Your confidence, humility, determination and firm and fixed attention at Srila Prabhupada's instructions is drivng all of us. We have been able to know Srila Prabhupada through his disciples.
This weeked you said that you want to give us the best facilties ever and that you have done. You saved millions and now by some mercy, I a little African girl from the dusty country of Botswana has been given an opportunity to chant the most sacred mantra. Hare Krsna. What I would be now is nothing but a waste of the human form of life had I not met you.
I was not even qualified but you took me to Vrindavana and you showed me Krsna and his land. Every single day I remember Vrindavana and I remember how much that did for my spiritual life. You are absolutely the best father I could ask for and so merciful towards all of us trying to be devotees of the lord.
Lastly, I would take this opportunity to thank you for introducing me to a few special souls that whenever I look at, remind me of you and tears form in my eyes. Thank you for giving me wonderful association of Radha Sanga mataji, Parijata mataji and Mother Daivi sakti. They have been so tolerant and so loving towards me. But the one person that i have never met i am greatful for is my wonderful sister and dear friend Syam gauri. Thank you gurudeva for allowing me to be able to have such association of serious and mature devotees in Krsna Conscious. Thank you for accepting me into your family, Srila Prabhupada's family and as one of your disciples. My only wish at this point is to devote my life and all my efforts to the Lord, Srila Prabhupada, and to your lotus feet. Please help me by giving me what I need instead of what I want. I am really nothing without your mercy and guidance.
Hare Krsna
your servant
swarupa sakti devi dasi -
Dear Guru Maharaj.
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
To my understanding, your most recent morning Bhagavatam classes at Gaura yoga have stressed two things:
Attentive chanting and selfless service. Before I elaborate on this I would like to tell you how powerful your words are, I feel that each class is so wholesome, so nourishing and empowering. I'm always inspired to upgrade myself in different ways after drinking the sweetness of your realizations and understanding.
You recently explained that selfless service beginners with attentive chanting. I have been thinking about this point a lot. Even during my japa, I hear the words "selfless service begins with attentive chanting", so I cling on to my beads and squeeze my eyes shut trying to hear "Hare Krsna"... no luck.
I'm afraid to disappoint you by saying that I am the complete opposite to your request; there's no attentive chanting, there's no selfless service. Guru Maharaj I really want to also taste this selfless service, it sounds so inviting. My heart almost sinks when I remember that selfless service begins with attentive chanting . I feel already disqualified, thinking "it's not gonna happen", but then I look at you Guru Maharaj, how incredible you are, how untouchable by any material glitches you are, how giving of yourself you are, how sharp, how sure of Krsna you are. You say the process works, so it must work. Please can I also jump in the pot of intense endeavour to hear and chant the Lord's names attentively? May I also use every opportune moment to repay my great debt to you? "My progress in spiritual life is very slow, so I'm asking your help" Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami. This is my position now.
"There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple". On this treasured day of your Vyasa-puja, Guru Maharaj, I'd like you to know how special you and your instructions are to me. Please help me not to simply glorify you without practically applying and striving to take pride in and follow your instructions day by day. I want to be your selfless servant, to be available to be empowered to help others as well. Like you said to me "become Krsna's slave". Please help me to qualify myself for this position. It's only because of your care that I know the purpose of my life, I'm happy to be yours. Thank you guru maharaja, please help me to act on my words and then the real work begins. Happy Vyasa-puja Guru Maharaj!!
Your insignificant aspiring servant and daughter
Syama gauri dd -
Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you, All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Following the footsteps of your dedicated servants who inspire me constantly by their undaunted devotional service, I beg to offer my humble homage to you on this auspicious occassion of your sacred Vyasa Puja.
I wish I could also glorify you to my heart's content in the similar way to your servants ,who have completely surrendered to your lotus feet , who are blessed with your mercy and protection and who have dedicated their lives in carrying out your nectar instructions as their heart and soul, against all odds of material life to push forward yours and Srila Prabhupada's mission.
I see them paying their homages to you every day of the year as they live in your instructions and immerse in various Sankirtans you've engaged them into,being bereft of any such qualifications and devotional service how could I ever glorify you with just written words?
When I look back to myself even just couple of years ago I feel like one of those corrupted files you were reffering to in one of your nectar Bhagavatam class, migrated from where I belong, and being affected by deadly viruses, when i found myself incompatible and useless in the system and environment i've migrated into and got angry and frustrated on myself, your trained servants found me loiterring on queens street and carefully brougt me back at the loft, the divine laboratories you have set up for misdirected,polluted souls like me, where I was treated with the healing tools of love and respect, in the expert hands of your most compassionate servants. The recovery program began under your directions,although unknown to me then. Amazingly I started feeling better and more enlivened after each and every session of Kirtan and the Bhagavat Gita class at the loft.
The bengali bhajans of the Vaishnav Acharyas soothened my ears and flooded my eyes. The sanskrit verses of the vedic scriptures shook of my disbeliefs born out of ignorance, and awakened a new consiosness. The diet of Prasadam gave strenghth to my malnourished body and mind, and the association of the devotees gave me protection from further pollution. A year later when I was brought to your attention and I had my first Darshan of your lotus feet, at a glance you could check my weak pulse reflecting in my face and instructed me to chant the Mahamantra regularly as my daily medication, my ultimate virus protection.
Eversince then,following the footsteps of your servants, I chant the holy name as my life saving medicine, and wonder what could have happened to me without your mercy and shelter in your recovery programme. Out of your causeless mercy, when you allowed me to see the expanse of your recovery programme at work, I met so many fortunate souls you've recovered out of the clutches of deadly viruses of illussory energy. How can the corrupted files like me ever be able to thank you and glorify you,for bringing us back into life, restoring our lost and forgotten qualities,showing us who is our creator, and reestablishing our eternal connection with Krishna's system, where we all belong.
No amount of written words will ever be able to express my gratitude to you, instead i beg most humbly for your mercy Gurudeva, so that I can also remain in your servitude eternally and sweat like your servants in executing the devotional service and shed tears in ecstasy wash your lotus feet.
Aspiring to be the servant of your servants,
Tanmoy das -
Dear Devamrta Swami,
Happy Vyasa Puja.
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
What an opportunity this is to thank you for all your support!! This is also an opportunity to declare it boldly that you are a great preacher for Lord Caitanya's mission, and a chance to appreciate your attachment to the sadhana given by Srila Prabhupada as part of Lord Caitanya's teachings.
Maharaja, you give me a special role as target for your jokes and philosophical points to be illustrated - I understand that this is a favourable position, and that only persons with a deep trust in you can be given this role. It is also a kindness so I don't take myself too seriously and can laugh at myself as part of a cast of billions on the earth planet 'show' right now. I acknowledge this as part of the way you support me in my devotional life as you do in such a caring and concerned way. Even though you don't tell me what to do, or interrogate me about my spiritual practices, you give me the idea subtly that you expect the best and appreciate persons who continue to follow the process year by year for their whole lives. This gives me strength to follow in your footsteps. You support me also by giving me opportunities to teach your disciples and assist your mission, and you have also given me the chance to travel with you and learn so much about the techniques for teaching others about Krishna consciousness and personal spiritual practice.
You are an example of an active and thriving limb of Srila Prabhupada's devotional tree. He planted a seed of ISKCON in the West and you are one of those limbs growing from the tree and sprouting leaves, flowers and fruits. Despite a seemingly barren environment for preaching, you encourage souls to take up the practice of bhakti and supply such nice association for new persons in the form of your dedicated disciples. These disciples take on your mood of preaching by teaching people about bhakti and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. This is truly a glorious effort following the mission of Lord Caitanya.
Another way that you follow Lord Caitanya is your inner mood of relishing Srimad Bhagavatam, residing in the holy places, worshiping the Deity, associating with devotees and chanting the holy names. You do these things with full enthusiasm and give me the opportunity to see the effect of blissfulness that you always radiate. Sometimes there are ups and downs in preaching, and practice, but Maharaja, you are fixed on the process and when there are problems you seem to sit above them like a lotus flower above the water.
Thank you for allowing me to participate in your mission, even though for only a few minutes here and there. I hope in the future those moments will increase and my assistance will be more worthy of such a saint as you.
Your servant,
Taraka dd -
To our dear Devamrita Swami
Please Accept My humble Obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which was blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.
On this very wonderful occasion of your appearance day I would like to begin by offering my sincere gratitude to you. I would like to thank you and glorify you for so many things, the list is endless; your kindness, compassion, love mercy, your association, your classes, books and most of all being you. I could say so many more words of appreciation to glorify you, however I know that my genuine appreciation of you will be reflected in how much I surrender to your instructions, fulfil your orders and please you.
By following Srila Prabhupada's instruction, you have travelled around the world just to preach, showing so much compassion towards us, you have given every single one of us a chance to understand who we really are and how we should live our lives through service to the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna and His devotees. Your mercy is so deep that still we get to remain within the shelter of your lotus feet, even after breaking so many promises to you and constantly making mistakes, I am eternally grateful to you, for continually tolerating us and guiding us in our lives through your wonderful instructions.
I still need the protection and the guidance, even after all these years of knowledge and chanting I still fail to do the most simplest task, please give me the determination to overcome the mind when it waivers, as without this no matter how much service I do it won't be enough.
I pray that my tendency for recognition, becoming envious and my false ego do not get in the way of my endeavours to please you and serve Srila Prabhupada's mission, this can only be removed through your mercy. Please give me the strength and determination to stay on this path and to always remember the goal of life, which is to serve Krsna and His beloved devotees.
Everyday I am reminded of how unqualified I am to receive even a drop of Srila Prabhupada's and your mercy, and yet, you keep the mercy coming. Please Maharaj, help me to become a better servant. please help me to please the devotees. Please, I beg you; help me to become free from the shackles of the mind and false ego so that I can become an instrument for yours and Srila Prabhupada's divine will.
I sincerely pray that I can follow your example and teaching, rendering unmotivated service unto you, Srila Prabhupada, Srimati Radharani and Lord Sri Krsna and His devotees and only then I will become eligible of your full mercy. Please continue to give me guidance in my spiritual life so that I humbly continue to serve the vaisnavas.
Thank you for letting me continuingly serve Srila Prabhupada's mission to fulfil Lord Caitanya's prophecy.
Begging to remain your servant for all eternity,
With love,
Tina Hirani (Sydney, Australia) -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
please accept my humble obeisances to Your lotus feet.
All glories to Your Holiness! All glories to Srila Prabhupad!
The day of Vyasa Puja is a very special and wonderful day as it gives an opportunity to a disciple to look into his hart and try to understand whether his relations with his Spiritual Master have become closer. This day also helps to deepen the meditation on the Guru's lotus feet and His wonderful qualities, to glorify Him one more time and try to thank Him as possible.
Every morning we sing that the Spiritual Master is the ocean of great qualities - praptasya kalyana gunarnavasya. All of them are really special, but I'd like to single out one in particular. Who IS a Spiritual Master?
First of all, he is a perfect disciple. That is who understood the just of Guru's instructions and also realized his Guru's mood, bhava, put it into his own heart and organized one's whole life in accordance with them. A perfect disciple is always in such position ready to accept all the instructions. And that is actually a goal, a real goal. And day by day I understand it better and better. So, if we did not have Your example, for us this goal would be unreachable.
You are always ready to listen to Srila Prabhupad with great attention using every opportunity to apply to His books. This attachment is so deep in You that Your God Brothers cannot but mention it glorifying You. It is like during one of Srila Niranjana Swami's Vyasa puja, Srila Indradyumna Swami glorified Him saying that Srila Niranjana Swami has been following all the regulative principles and chanting His rounds for already more than 300 years.
Also in one of Your lectures You spoke about one couple that wanted special instructions from You, but You told them that to chant 16 rounds and follow the regulative principle are those special instructions. Some time after it those devotees admitted how difficult it has become to follow those very instructions.
You have been following everything that Srila Prabhupada taught and wanted You to follow for already 40 years. Thank You that You give us such a good example.
You have managed to understand Srila Prabhupada's mood and put His feet on the lotus of Your heart, though it is SO difficult to give away one's heart and leave the desire to take it back! To give privilege to sb's desires+ All this is an evidence that You are a special, perfect disciple, who teaches by means of His own example. Thank You for teaching us how to become happy in the service to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
In the end of my letter I am begging Your Devine Grace of the mercy. Please, help me to understand You and Your mood at least a bit more, just a bit.
Thank You!
Trying to become Your servant,
Bhakta Tluhovsky Yura.
Simferopol, Ukraine. -
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you for engaging me in devotional service. I feel satisfied in my service, and I consider this a great boon for me. I find my service engaging, challenging and enlivening. This sense of satisfaction frees me to be a little humble, a little honest about the smallness of my existence, which is a deep relief.
While doing my service I meditate on your mood, Gurudeva. I have found that accepting responsibility in the preaching mission and trying to care for people as they explore Krishna Consciousness tempers my own practice and brings the Krishna Conscious wisdom to life. I begin to understand why Krishna Conscious leaders emphasize as they do, stressing certain values and practices. This growth of insight is experienced as tangible advancement.
Although I am limited, and not at all perfect, tasting the mellows of servant hood allows me to be comfortable with this reality. This brings a peace that I have not been able to experience before. This, I am aware, is your mercy, and I am grateful.
So as I do my service and meditate on your mood, I can begin to understand it. Thankyou for being a good example in Krishna Consciousness.
All I have to offer is my gratitude, and a little service. Neither offering is perfect, yet I feel that real surrender is coming gradually, as I learn to value what you value, and adjust according to your indications about how to better align with your approval.
Spiritual life really does transform the heart. Thankyou for showing me the way, Gurudeva.
Your servant,
Tri-yuga das. -
Nama om visnu padaya, krsna prestaya bhutale,
srimate devamrta swamin iti namine
Dear Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances on this most glorious day
of your appearance. All glories to your service, all glories to Srila
Prabhupada.The Lord distributes His mercy in the form of rains on the scorched earth
at times of dire necessity. He supplies rain when we are practically on the
verge of death for want of water. God is merciful undoubtedly, but He
bestows His mercy on us when we need it most. This is so because we forget
God as soon as we obtain this mercy. We should therefore remember the mercy
of God constantly if we want to avoid distress.
(Light of the Bhagavata - text 3 purport)
Before I came to Krsna consciousness, I was dying for want of Krsna. Now
that I'm here, I've forgotten God's mercy that I receive so much of here at
Melbourne temple. It's you and your disciples who remind me. Please
continue to help me remember Krsnas mercy.
From your aspiring servant,
Uddhava dasa -
Dear Guru Dev,
Please accept my Humble Obeisances at your Lotus Feet.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All Glories to you.
This year the most memorable incident which comes to mind is your staunch, determined attitude of preaching despite your physical difficulties. It just gave me glimpse of what means to be uninterrupted servant and how much compassion that you have for us. From this you taught me how my mind should be fixed in what ever little service that I do. Rain or hail get to the temple and cut the fruits for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Vallabha & Devotees.
Plus this year you taught me what it means to a be servant of the servant, from the letters that you wrote to me this year. I hope learn these lessons by your & senior devotees' Blessings, Guru Dev. All Glories to your Service Attitude once again!
Learning to be your Servant,
Vaishnava Charan Das -
nama om visnu padaya krsna prestaya bhutale
srimati devamrita swami iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam-ca bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Holiness Devamrita Swami who is very dear to Lord Krsna having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Obeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skills in preaching, competence in Vaisnava dealing, selflessness and compassion."
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
While meditating upon your Vyasa-Puja day I find myself reflecting, and asking, "How can I please my spiritual master?" Love means selfless striving to fulfill the desires of the beloved. Witnessing your qualities and activities, I see how boldly, selflessly you are pushing on the sankirtan movement, so attentive and absorbed in your intimate service to Srila Prabhupada. Through your causeless mercy I've somehow received the opportunity to assist you in your most important mission. You are rescuing so many souls from falling into the animal species, bringing so many infected with deadly "Kali-Yuga-itis" through the emergency doors of the Loft, to receive open heart surgery at your lotus feet. Surely this is a great testament to your magnanimity.
In spite of the escalating madness of Kali-yuga, that's beaten us so out of shape, you encourage us to keep on preaching, to absorb our minds in higher engagements, selfless service in the distribution of the fruits of love of Godhead. You have equipped us with the weaponry, and amour required to push on. Like a loving father, you're constantly providing increased facilities for shelter and service. The wonderful 'mentor system'; 50,000 Srimad Bhagavatams; new preaching centers; university programs; mass prasadam distribution; home programs; retreat centers. You give so much inspiration to us through your own example: how to tolerate personal inconvenience, and against all odds, strive to live a sacrificial life for the welfare of others. "We're always concerned with the others."
In the Bhagavad Gita (6.23), Srila Prabhpada lucidly describes the qualities and activities of a Krsna conscious yogi, which I see present in yourself:
TRANSLATIONHe is a perfect yogi who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!
PURPORTOne who is Krsna conscious is a perfect yogi; he is aware of everyone's happiness and distress by dint of his own personal experience. The cause of the distress of a living entity is forgetfulness of his relationship with God. And the cause of happiness is knowing Krsna to be the supreme enjoyer of all the activities of the human being, the proprietor of all lands and planets, and the sincerest friend of all living entities. The perfect yogi knows that the living being who is conditioned by the modes of material nature is subjected to the threefold material miseries due to forgetfulness of his relationship with Krsna. And because one in Krsna consciousness is happy, he tries to distribute the knowledge of Krsna everywhere. Since the perfect yogi tries to broadcast the importance of becoming Krsna conscious, he is the best philanthropist in the world, and he is the dearest servitor of the Lord. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah (Bg. 18.69). In other words, a devotee of the Lord always looks to the welfare of all living entities, and in this way he is factually the friend of everyone. He is the best yogi because he does not desire perfection in yoga for his personal benefit, but tries for others also. He does not envy his fellow living entities. Here is a contrast between a pure devotee of the Lord and a yogi interested only in his personal elevation. The yogi who has withdrawn to a secluded place in order to meditate perfectly may not be as perfect as a devotee who is trying his best to turn every man toward Krsna consciousness.
Your example encourages us to extraordinary levels: "Don't become dull! Kali-Yuga means let's become dull, let's just waste time, space out, fester in our material desires and forget all about Krsna." You're truly the factual friend of everyone. In spite of our fallen backgrounds, wallowing in sinful activity, your transcendental brilliance shines a light so powerful that we're able to follow your footsteps, and in the process help others to follow also. Kali Yuga has bent us so badly out of shape, but you're the expert bhakti yoga teacher, carefully instructing us in the ways and means to correct our posture. Whilst studying your lectures I'm often left stunned in silence, amazed at how expertly you've revealed the techniques for improving our devotional service.
"Envy?" - No problem, just clean up the indirect appreciation. "Problems with the Prabhus?" - Just understand and accept the responsibility that we may be influencing others with our 'not the best' consciousness, and therefore they may do things that displease us. "Lust?" - Study the books with the intent to understand the monster and how to defeat it. "How to improve our service?" - Put more focus on the quality of our chanting. "When in doubt?" - Just chant!
You captivated my heart in a 2006 Loft class, 'Another civilisation is possible':"What to do about this? The truly compassionate person feels this great tragedy immensely. What to do? There has to be some kind of attempt to systematically educate people in higher spiritual knowledge, and give them a process of purification by which they can throw off the pollutions and contaminations of material ignorance and illusion. It is possible, even in this very materialistic day and age to attain spiritual perfection, if you strive by the right means. Of course the whole process becomes much easier if you can see examples of that, and become inspired to mold your life in that way. We're trying to develop the kind of human beings who can be like radiant examples of the true potential of human consciousness; at the very least, human consciousness, and then beyond that to Krsna consciousness. Consciousness of the personal source of all the energy's, material and spiritual. The Love Supreme. The bhakti relationship. The bhakti yoga relationship between the all-attractive source of everything, Krsna, and the conscious living entities, the parts of Krsna. This is what real yoga is about. That process can go on even amidst the grossly materialistic society, and people will become changed, their hearts will become changed, transformed, when they come into contact with such persons who are executing, carrying out, living out their lives according to Krsna Consciousness."
In your Searching for Vedic India, you allude to the coming storm:"The first half of this new century promises to be both a fascinating and a traumatic epoch. Watch forward thinkers fling off the shackles enforced by the mechanistic approach to life. As the conventional certainties crumble, the general populace will become bewildered. A confused mind is a very dangerous thing. Therefore, heroic and compassionate sages are needed, to ferry people across the turbulent seas of a major paradigm shift. The Vedic text, seen in a new light, is a civilization saving beacon."
I pray that whilst these fierce storms tumult, I'll be able to cling tightly to your instructions. In this way difficulties will become opportunities for deeper purification. My heart felt prayer to you today is that you please hold this rebellious soul tightly in the fires of sankirtana, the flames of preaching, of distribution, so that my heart might become cleansed. That's my only hope, your mercy, to be able to continue striving to fulfill your desires, and overcome my selfish mind. The following two texts and purports from the Srimad Bhagavatam ( 3.25.20,21) have given me great inspiration in preaching this year. Again, they so vividly glorify your transcendental qualities and activities.
TEXT 20
prasangam ajaram pasam
atmanah kavayo viduh
sa eva sadhushu krito
moksha-dvaram apavritam
SYNONYMSprasangam-attachment; ajaram-strong; pasam-entanglement; atmanah-of the soul; kavayah-learned men; viduh-know; sah eva-that same; sadhushu-to the devotees; kritah-applied; moksha-dvaram-the door of liberation; apavritam-opened.
TRANSLATIONEvery learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.
PURPORTTeachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti, Verse 20
Here it is clearly stated that attachment for one thing is the cause of bondage in conditioned life, and the same attachment, when applied to something else, opens the door of liberation. Attachment cannot be killed; it has simply to be transferred. Attachment for material things is called material consciousness, and attachment for Krishna or His devotee is called Krishna consciousness. Consciousness, therefore, is the platform of attachment. It is clearly stated here that when we simply purify the consciousness from material consciousness to Krishna consciousness, we attain liberation. Despite the statement that one should give up attachment, desirelessness is not possible for a living entity. A living entity, by constitution, has the propensity to be attached to something. We see that if someone has no object of attachment, if he has no children, then he transfers his attachment to cats and dogs. This indicates that the propensity for attachment cannot be stopped; it must be utilized for the best purpose. Our attachment for material things perpetuates our conditional state, but the same attachment, when transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee, is the source of liberation.
Here it is recommended that attachment should be transferred to the self-realized devotees, the sadhus. And who is a sadhu? A sadhu is not just an ordinary man with a saffron robe or long beard. A sadhu is described in Bhagavad-gita as one who unflinchingly engages in devotional service. Even though one is found not to be following the strict rules and regulations of devotional service, if one simply has unflinching faith in Krishna, the Supreme Person, he is understood to be a sadhu. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. A sadhu is a strict follower of devotional service. It is recommended here that if one at all wants to realize Brahman, or spiritual perfection, his attachment should be transferred to the sadhu, or devotee. Lord Caitanya also confirmed this. Lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya: [Cc. Madhya 22.54] simply by a moment's association with a sadhu, one can attain perfection.
Mahatma is a synonym of sadhu. It is said that service to a mahatma, or elevated devotee of the Lord, is dvaram ahur vimukteh, the royal road of liberation. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yoshitam sangi-sangam (SB 5.5.2). Rendering service to the materialists has the opposite effect. If anyone offers service to a gross materialist, or a person engaged only in sense enjoyment, then by association with such a person the door to hell is opened. The same principle is confirmed here. Attachment to a devotee is attachment to the service of the Lord because if one associates with a sadhu, the result will be that the sadhu will teach him how to become a devotee, a worshiper and a sincere servitor of the Lord. These are the gifts of a sadhu. If we want to associate with a sadhu, we cannot expect him to give us instructions on how to improve our material condition, but he will give us instructions on how to cut the knot of the contamination of material attraction and how to elevate ourselves in devotional service. That is the result of associating with a sadhu. Kapila Muni first of all instructs that the path of liberation begins with such association.
TEXT 21
titikshavah karunikah
suhridah sarva-dehinam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhushanah
SYNONYMStitikshavah-tolerant; karunikah-merciful; suhridah-friendly; sarva-dehinam-to all living entities; ajata-satravah-inimical to none; santah-peaceful; sadhavah-abiding by scriptures; sadhu-bhushanah-adorned with sublime characteristics.
TRANSLATIONThe symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.
PURPORTA sadhu, as described above, is a devotee of the Lord. His concern, therefore, is to enlighten people in devotional service to the Lord. That is his mercy. He knows that without devotional service to the Lord, human life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching,"Be Krishna conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Krishna. Don't spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization, or Krishna consciousness." These are the preachings of a sadhu. He is not satisfied with his own liberation. He always thinks about others. He is the most compassionate personality towards all the fallen souls. One of his qualifications, therefore, is karunika, great mercy to the fallen souls. While engaged in preaching work, he has to meet with so many opposing elements, and therefore the sadhu, or devotee of the Lord, has to be very tolerant. Someone may ill-treat him because the conditioned souls are not prepared to receive the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. They do not like it; that is their disease. The sadhu has the thankless task of impressing upon them the importance of devotional service. Sometimes devotees are personally attacked with violence. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Haridasa Thakura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya's principal assistant, Nityananda, was violently attacked by Jagai and Madhai. But still they were tolerant because their mission was to deliver the fallen souls. One of the qualifications of a sadhu is that he is very tolerant and is merciful to all fallen souls. He is merciful because he is the well-wisher of all living entities. He is not only a well-wisher of human society, but a well-wisher of animal society as well. It is said here, sarva-dehinam, which indicates all living entities who have accepted material bodies. Not only does the human being have a material body, but other living entities, such as cats and dogs, also have material bodies. The devotee of the Lord is merciful to everyone-the cats, dogs, trees, etc. He treats all living entities in such a way that they can ultimately get salvation from this material entanglement. Sivananda Sena, one of the disciples of Lord Caitanya, gave liberation to a dog by treating the dog transcendentally. There are many instances where a dog got salvation by association with a sadhu, because a sadhu engages in the highest philanthropic activities for the benediction of all living entities. Yet although a sadhu is not inimical towards anyone, the world is so ungrateful that even a sadhu has many enemies. What is the difference between an enemy and a friend? It is a difference in behavior. A sadhu behaves with all conditioned souls for their ultimate relief from material entanglement. Therefore, no one can be more friendly than a sadhu in relieving a conditioned soul. A sadhu is calm, and he quietly and peacefully follows the principles of scripture. A sadhu means one who follows the principles of scripture and at the same time is a devotee of the Lord. One who actually follows the principles of scripture must be a devotee of God because all the sastras instruct us to obey the orders of the Personality of Godhead. Sadhu, therefore, means a follower of the scriptural injunctions and a devotee of the Lord. All these characteristics are prominent in a devotee. A devotee develops all the good qualities of the demigods, whereas a nondevotee, even though academically qualified, has no actual good qualifications or good characteristics according to the standard of transcendental realization.
As I meditate upon you today, Gurudeva, it's clear to me that in order to truly help myself and others, and in order to truly please you, I must strictly follow your instructions, and strive to become the example you require for your mission.
Aspiring to become your unconditional servant,
Vamsidhari das -
Dear Maharaj,
I would like to thank you for always helping me and for making my parents devotees. If they were not devotees I would have probably passed this life in complete unhappiness. Also you have always encouraged me to do what is best for me and my God consciousness. You have always tried to get me to chant and it will hopefully please you to know I am now trying to chant every day. Not many, just one round, but I hope to improve that soon. It is only by your mercy. Thankyou so much for everything.
Your insignificant servant,
Varsana dasi (aged 14 years) -
nama om vishnu padaya Krishna prasthaya bhutale
srimate Devamrita swamin iti namine
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept our humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Happy Appearance Day to you! We hope that Lord Krishna always keeps you in good health so that you can deliver the fallen souls like us.
Gurudev, the first time we saw you and heard your lectures and kirtans we felt really inspired. You are such an expert preacher according to circumstance. You always teach how to be practical in different circumstance. You are so good at tackling questions that you always clear the doubts.
We are very grateful to the Lord who gave us the chance to associate with you and to be under your shelter.
In the scriptures it is mentioned that the spiritual master is the sum total of the demigods. We bow down to your lotus feet with great awe and reverence.
Please bless us so that we can become serious and attentive in chanting. You are very dear to Lord Chaitanya. Please guide us so that we are able to contribute in the Sankirtana Movement.
Your aspiring servants,
Veejaye & Harsha Seesaha. -
Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Around five thousand years ago, in an attempt to counteract the impending disaster of Kali-Yuga, the greatest saints and sages of the world assembled at Naimisaranya. Appointing Suta Goswami as the captain of their mercy ship, they presented their very heart felt concerns for his consideration. And based on these concerns Suta Goswami relayed the beautiful Srimad Bhagavatam.O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.
SB 1.1.10
Srila Gurudeva, the more I hear about the horrors of life in Kali-Yuga, the more I understand why the people of Kali-Yuga are described as being 'above all, always disturbed'. They are disturbed because from the very beginning of their lives they have experienced routine physical, sexual and psychological abuse. They are disturbed because of peer pressure at school, because of bullying and school violence. They are disturbed because of their inability to live up to the standards, expectations and desires of their parents and family members. They are disturbed because all of their attempts to fulfill their desires for love and affection have resulted in their being treated like just another object to be exploited. They are disturbed because for the last 15 years they have saturated their minds with all kinds of mind-numbing intoxicants, in an attempt to block out the painful reality of their lives. They are disturbed because of the stresses of their work week, the stresses of their relationships, and the stresses of their insatiable desires. They are disturbed because they have to work two jobs, 18 hours a day just to make ends meet for the family. They are disturbed because they have no one to talk to, because they have no real friends or because it takes so much energy just to maintain a superficial relationship that they just can't be bothered trying anymore. They are disturbed because every time they leave their home they fear that their flatmate, partner or family member will use the opportunity of an empty house to end the disturbances in their own lives by committing suicide.
Even one of these disturbances present in a person's life can make a person's mind and emotions completely unstable. This instability of mind can even carry on well after the sources of disturbance are completely removed from one's life. Over this past year I have heard the most shocking, frightening and unbelievable stories from people's lives of the various disturbances they have had to face, and as a result I am starting to wonder how it is possible for this age to get any worse; but then I hear another Kali-Yuga horror story and my hope for the people of this age drops even further. From what I can see, everyone in Kali-Yuga has reason to be disturbed, myself included. And as preachers of Krsna consciousness, this makes things very difficult. Gurudeva, if things continue to progress in this direction, what hope is there for the people of this age? How will people with such disturbed minds be able to come to Krsna consciousness, grow in Krsna consciousness and distribute Krsna consciousness to others?We think that we have met Your Goodness by the will of providence, just so that we may accept you as captain of the ship for those who desire to cross the difficult ocean of Kali, which deteriorates all the good qualities of a human being.
SB 1.1.22
Srila Gurudeva, when I first had the incredible experience of meeting you, I had the great honour of hearing you speak about the true longings of the soul, and the methodology of achieving the full satisfaction of our hearts most dear desires. Afterwards, by no small effort on the part of one of your disciples, I had the fortune of having personal audience with you. At that time you told me that I should make the goal of my life to actually help all the two-legged animals of the world, not just focus on some limited welfare activities for the four legged animals. In reply, I asked you my first real question, which was something like this: "The people of the world today are indeed animals. Their level of intelligence may be just slightly higher than that of a super chimpanzee. And the teachings you have talked about today are very difficult to understand. How, then, can the average person take up this process that you have talked about this evening? How can we actually help everyone?" Of course, at the time, I didn't realize that this description of ignorant two legged animals also fit me perfectly, blinded as I was by my own pride and lusty desires.Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krsna, which is feared by fear personified.
SB 1.1.14
Your answer to my question was so simple, yet so profound. I didn't appreciate its weight and meaning at all at the time. You said, "The holy name of KRSNA is so powerful that even the most degraded person can be elevated simply by taking up the chanting of it. So you start chanting Hare Krsna, wrap your intellect around Bhagavad Gita, and then you will be able to help the people of the world."Since Sri Krsna, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us to whom the religious principles have now gone for shelter.
SB 1.1.23
In October last year, I received a phone call from the BBT in Sydney. It was Prabhodananda Prabhu. He was calling to tell me that the BBT no longer had room for the 50,000 SB 1.1's that you had requested be printed for distribution in New Zealand over the next three years. Therefore, Prabhodananda Prabhu said that the devotees in New Zealand would have to take all of them straight away, instead of taking small installments over the next three years as originally planned. The prospect of being responsible for a quarter of a million dollars worth of books caused me to shiver on the spot. It took me several minutes to digest the situation. How would we store that many books? How could we pay for the customs on the shipping? How could we even pay for the shipping? What would we do with all those books anyway?!This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana.
SB 1.3.43
Srila Gurudeva, I can say with all honesty that the greatest moment in my devotional life thus far came at the beginning of April of this year. That was the day that eleven pallets of Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1s arrived at the brahmacari asrama, and filled our garage to the roof. After several hours of hard labour, all of the devotees moving the books by hand from the back of several trucks into our garage, ten books at a time, I spent another 30 minutes just standing there, staring at all those beautiful bhakti missiles wrapped individually in plastic. At that moment I was filled with such hope for the future of New Zealand, and I knew that this whole arrangement was simply a manifestation of your mercy and compassion upon all the Kali-Yuga victims of New Zealand, myself included. That moment was followed by a similar feeling after spending another day moving the rest the remaining 35 pallets of books into the free storage warehouse, so kindly donated by Govinda Prabhu for the sake of the New Zealand sankirtana devotees, and the suffering souls of Kali-Yuga. During these two occasions I felt a glimpse of the meaning of the verse yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah.
And now, because of your desires and the blessings of the whole parampara, the unbelievable is happening in New Zealand. Since receiving that shipment of books New Zealand book distribution has increased and increased. We are now holding a steady fifth place ranking in the world for book distribution, up there with the sankirtan superpowers of India, Russia, America and the UK, and since those books have arrived on our shores your dedicated frontline soldiers have distributed well over 11,000 SB 1.1s to the residents of New Zealand. For a tiny little country like New Zealand this is completely unprecedented. There is only one explanation for this situation; the pure, selfless desire of the Lord's pure devotee.On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.
SB 1.5.11
Srila Gurudeva, despite all the faults and problems of this age of Kali, specifically here in New Zealand, there is hope. That hope is Srimad Bhagavatam and the Holy Name. Without your expert packaging and distribution of these two bhakti gems in New Zealand the residents of this country would be completely lost in the ocean of disturbances that is Kali-Yuga. Thank you so much for taking me away from my Kali-Yuga induced disturbances, and allowing me to be part of this revolution. I beg that I may remain constantly engaged as a servant of the sankirtana devotees and as a revolutionary soldier in your army of mercy. Please help me to develop the real compassion, strength and honesty required to take up the life-long mission to save the suffering souls of this world. In this way, I beg that I may be able to turn my entire life into an offering at your lotus feet.
Your unworthy servant,
Vidyapati das -
Dear Srila Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to his disciples who are fully dedicated to his transcendental mission!
Your Vyasa-Puja is such a wonderful event because it gives many people the opportunity to do the most important thing in the whole universe: the adoration of the Vaishnavas!
Even though I am such a fallen soul I am given the chance to make spiritual advancement only because of your great intent to spread Lord Krishna's message in every town and village. Through your lectures on Srimad Bhagavatam which are available on the internet many people like me are being inspired and are having their faith strengthened by your wise words. Only expert Vaishnavas are capable of using the powerful tools of Kaly Yuga in the service of Sri Krishna and thus reach the mass of ignorant people who suffer on the hands of the evil witch maya. Lord Krishna Himself says in the Bhagavad Gita [18.68-69] that no one is more dear to him than those who are striving for distributing the art of devotional service (paramam guhyam) to others. As we can read in Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta, this creativity and eagerness that you have in your preaching activity are very pleasing to our Jagad-Guru. Therefore it is a duty for all intelligent men and women to offer you reverences and honour not only in this very special day, but every day.
ALL GLORIES TO SRILA DEVAMRTA SWAMI!!!!!!!!
From your aspiring servant,
Vira Krishna das. -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisance's at your divine lotus feet!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you!
On this auspicious day of your Vyasa puja, I offer my dandavats to the dust of your lotus feet.
Guru Maharaja, you have guided me very nicely, you have listened patiently to all my problems, which I Thank You deeply, As I fight the struggles with Maya you have shown me logical solutions to my problems, which has improved my spiritual life.
Please allow me and enable me to serve Your Divine Grace
All glories to you!
Your eternal servant
Viran Gami -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
pracare purva daksyam ca
bhaktacara pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namahObeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching, competence in Vaisnava dealings, selflessness, and compassion.
In the early days of our relationship, I let on to you that perhaps I didn't really trust you. I'd been let down so much by my material father; which showed no example of what it means to be cared and protected for. I was thinking, who in the world would voluntarily take on a role of being my father? Why would anyone do that? Why would someone invest in me in this way? In reply, with a firm tone, you expressed a big "Thanks a lot! Do you think I have nothing better to do, why would I waste my time? I care about you!" WOW... you really do; your tone was convincing. However, still I doubted; until now. It's taken six years to strongly realise that actually, you will never leave me, and as long as I am willing to keep up with you, you will engage me by your side in devotional service. I must admit though, you are hard to keep up with Guru Maharaja. Your stamina for spiritual reform is so heartily vigorous.
Many things I wonder how it can be so:
How is it you allow me to personally assist you? How is it you often say 'like father, like daughter', and I really feel that relationship is for real? How is it that you keep giving me your personal association, time after time? Is it that you know what I long for, and you're just simply giving me what I need to push on to the next bhakti realm?
In these past 6yrs you have invested so much in me. Never leaving out the swift reminder: 'One who is given much, much is expected of', so indeed I am in debt to you. BIG debt!
I just read over the pastime of Krishna and Sudama. Sandipani muni, their Guru expresses:
atma vai praninam preshthas
tam anadritya mat-parah
etad eva hi sac-chishyaih
kartavyam guru-nishkritam
yad vai visuddha-bhavena
sarvarthatmarpanam gurauThe body is most dear to every living creature, but you are so dedicated to me that you completely disregarded your own comfort. This indeed is the duty of all true disciples: to repay the debt to their spiritual master by offering him, with pure hearts, their wealth and even their very lives. (SB 80.40-41)
Perhaps Guru Maharaja through your Gaura Yoga Centre and its branches, I can offer you my life.
So here on, I would like to offer my homage which is one of gratitude for your Gaura Yoga Centre.
Like the maturing devotee tastes sweeter and sweeter flavours of devotional service unbeknown to the material senses, in the same way your Gaura Yoga centre also transgresses material estimation by daily evolving with richer varieties of opportunity for the 'evangelical spirited'.
Your Gaura Yoga centre is really amazing! Many years ago, you once described it like this: "Outside is blazing hot, no shade and no thirst quenchers, but someone takes you to Gaura Yoga, you enter, its air conditioned, you're offered a seat, rest assured, and get handed a cool mango lassi". In a nutshell, your Gaura Yoga is a spiritual oasis amidst the polluted desert. A total haven.
I just want to thank you for your persistence in Loft style preaching. Despite early day opposition, you boldly stood ground, knowing very well that this style of outreach was a successful way for the outrageous youth of Kali Yuga to become purified. Thank you for your dedicated perseverance that has allowed us this opportunity to become Krishna Conscious.
Even after 6 short years at Gaura Yoga, I have seen morph after morph of operational increase. You wrote to me just 2 days ago: "If there is demand, then expand. Preach now, worry later!" that is your fire-up mood. You like to stress that management follows preaching like a shadow; not the other way around. So with this in mind, I would like to let my heart flow with the same spirit, and give to others what you have invested in me.
Following you, my God brothers and sisters set a high standard in this regard, so I am lucky for their everyday inspiration. It is indeed a humbling challenge to live up to. At least when I'm on the street, I don't fall short of remaining a fool. That's why it's so good for me right?
You know so well what we need to push ahead. Whether we take it or not is another thing. But Guru Maharaja, I want to take it! Please keep on my case, and help me to not just manage preaching, but to turn on the switch to preach directly my self. I do want to assist you in this way. I am greedy for more of what you have. Please help me to deserve a part of that.
Aspiring to assist you in preaching,
Your servant,
Visnu-maya dd. -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and All glories to your unwavering seva in His divine mission."Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows me in truth" B.G 7.3
I feel very fortunate to have some connection with you. I come from a very lowly background,a very sordid background. So I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to receive your continued guidance and encouragement.
You're always giving me some menial service to do, and I always thought that you chose me for this because I was good at this. But I have come to realise that you were just giving me this service because I needed the benefit of your personal association so badly. I am very grateful for your tolerance of me in this regard.
I wish to one day do something more for you in this life, something substantial like my God-brothers and God-sisters are doing. So that your time spent on me is not wasted.
Your aspiring servant
-Vraja Dhama das -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
And all glories to the appearance day of this superexcellent servant.
All glories to you, Srila Gurudeva, who are like the most beautiful and radiant ornament at the lotus feet of your spiritual master and the entire Parampara.
Prabhupada means 'at who's feet all masters sit'. And you have understood it's true meaning. Sacrificing your every breath to serve your Guru.
As Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has stated, 'the order of the spiritual master is the life and soul of the disciples. As a man cannot separate his life from his body, a disciple cannot separate the order of the spiritual master from his life.'
And therefore your life is representing this verse:
janasya krishnad vimukhasya daivad
adharma silasya suduhkhitasya
anugrahayeha caranti nunam
bhutani bhavyani janardanasya"O my Lord, great philanthropic souls travel on the earth on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to show compassion to the fallen souls, who are adverse to the sense of subordination to the Lord."
(Bhag. 3.5.3)
Your unbelievable success to distribute the bhakti-lata-bija to the adverse conditioned souls is a testimony of how Krishna is fulfilling your desire to save them, being conquered by your love and devotion.
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva guru-krishna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija'According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.'
Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya 19.151 (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructs Rupa Gosvami)
What a great fortune to have met you.
What a great fortune to be allowed to serve you.
And the greatest fortune would be to be qualified to uplift and support you in your transcendental mission. Therefore I beg you today to bless me, so that I also may become an ornament at the lotus feet of my glorious spiritual father. Please bless me, so that until my last breath I will be able to glorify my divine heritage by my actions, words and thoughts.
Your daughter and aspiring obedient,
Vraja Nari dd -
Dearest Gurumaharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances on this most auspicious occassion of your Vyasa Puja.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Year after year, day after day, it never ceases to amaze me how you have won over and purified so many materialistic hearts. We can practically see this each time you visit Melbourne. The number of wellwishers and aspiring disciples steadily increases. What to speak of every part of the globe your lotus feet traverse.
Gurumaharaja, your bhakti is undoubtebly infectious and your commitment to spreading the fruits of love of God is a most wonderful feet that you have whole heartedly and successfully undertaken.
Once again Gurumaharaja, thank you for being such an exceptional example of what a devotee and lover of God is supposed to be. I still can't comprehend how and why I was so fortunate in this life time to have met you and to have had your most blessed association. One things for sure, and that is, that there is no greater hero for me in spiritual life then yourself and no kinder father and spiritual guide than you.
I pray that I can continue to offer some service to you and endeavor to whole heartedly follow the instructions you have kindly given me to further progress in devotional service. I also hope that I have the strength to raise a family in Krishna consciousness, and that the new edition to the Aranya family is blessed with a deep attachment for the shelter and service of your lotus feet.
Your lowly servant
Vrindaranya devi dasi -
Dear Guru Maharaj,
please accept my most humble obeisances
all glories to Srila Prabhupada!
For Your pleasure, please accept this continuation of last year's vyasa-puja offering.
What is the value of Your mercy?
Can it be measured in silver and gold?
Or traded for some treasure...
Is it worth my fallen soul?
Have I done something to earn this
by faith or insurrection?
To gain a moment's service
and taste supreme perfection...
Or am I simply an example,
a piece of living proof,
of Your antiseptic potency
and Your prophylactic truth?
Would You consider me a beggar
if I placed at Your request,
an eternity of service,
a real chance to do my best?
Because I haven't much to offer
in actions, thoughts, or speech
to do justice to Your person
or approach Your lotus feet.
By Your strength alone I'm active.
With Your blessings I have purpose.
And my life without Your mercy
has been altogether worthless...
If I had a million words
still Your glories could not be defined.
And all of time, if I possessed it
would be exhausted while I tried.
For Your character is superior
to material limitations,
and Your potency, interior,
in every situation
Still I'll make this vain attempt
to say what I can of my devotion,
although mine is but a little drop
while You contain an entire ocean.
And if I spent a thousand lives
upon Your lotus feet to serve
still my offer would be paltry,
far less than You deserve.
And transcendental knowledge
upon me You have bestowed,
despite that You are the person
to whom everything is owed.
Thus is the extent of Your compassion
upon this fallen soul.
You have given me everything,
and remain Yourself a complete whole.
And If I had a thousand hearts
I think I'd never learn to love
myself, or anyone around me,
or Him whom we speak of.
Yet instantly I realized,
when You looked mercifully towards me,
that such a thing is possible
even for those who are unworthy.
Now I'm determined to endure,
through tribulation and through strife,
to make that merciful glance
the foundation of my life.
your servant,
Yasodeva das -
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
When I first was invited to the Loft in Brisbane for a progamme in which you were speaking at, I was told by a friend that if I went along, my life wouldn't be the same again. I could appreciate that this was a Swami speaking about spiritual topics, which would be very interesting, but not surprisingly, I couldn't see how it was going to change my life. Actually, on this occasion, I was fairly inconspicuous and a bit shy, you didn't really notice me. I knew that I had walked into something special that night, but still didn't see how my life had already begun to be completely uprooted and put on track. Not until several months later when you visited again. This time, I was more ready. I came alone and by Krishna's arrangement was sat right next to you, so I had no option to be inconspicuous this time. I was struck by your regal presence and I hung off every word you said. In speaking about what is matter and what is spirit, an exchange took place and this is what you refer to as the beginning of our relationship.
I've heard that to come across a spiritual master is as very unlikely and I still feel completely overwhelmed at how fortunate I am to have come into contact with a pure devotee of the Lord. I have been so sinful in this life, what to speak of past lives, so all that I can understand is that this mercy is causeless. I felt that you plucked me out of the masses and are giving me the opportunity to take up this process of remembering who I really am, who The Supreme Person is, and my eternal servitor relationship with The Supreme Person. This is Bhakti Yoga. And I know that this is the perfection of life.
Your intelligence and clear vision is profound. Your presence is purifying, uplifting and inspiring. You have a natural insight into peoples' natures and offer such helpful personal guidance, enabling them to take part in Lord Caitanya's sankirtana mission in a modern and very appealing way. Thank you for showing us how to do this, already I have seen how other people's lives have been changed so much here at Atma Yoga in Brisbane.
So, on this auspicious occasion, may I humbly offer my gratitude to you for giving me this wake up call. I feel indebted to you for inspiring me to take up this mission of dedicating my life to serving Krishna, and for the constant encouragement to stay on this ultimate path. Please don't let me fall off! I feel completely undeserving to be in the association of your sweet and loving disciples and I regret that I haven't been making the most of this wonderful opportunity. So I pray that I may develop the sincerity, patience, confidence and enthusiasm needed to gain success at this Bhakti yoga, so that one day I can serve you with all my heart and soul.
All glories to you!
Your aspiring servant,
Bhaktine Zoe.
