Vyasa Puja Offerings 2012

(View Devamrita Swami's 2012 offering to Srila Prabhupada)

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Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to you on this auspicious day, your appearance day!

This time last year I was in Vrindavan dham, standing in wonder of Gaura Nitai, Krsna Balarama and Radha Shyamasundara, going on parikramas with His Grace Deena Bandu Prabhu, ready to embark on my Bhakti Sastri adventure in Mayapur and eagerly wanting, by deliberate considerations, to raise myself to the platform of Krsna consciousness. To attain such an end, as I was reading in Srila Prabhupada's books, one must sincerely render service to a bona fide spiritual master, which begins one's spiritual life in Krsna consciousness. And so I was hearing from the mahatmas. Holding onto my unnecessarily puffed-up position in the material world, I would often tell Vamsidhari that whilst I find HIS spiritual master to be very inspiring, I could and would find MY OWN spiritual master. Nonetheless, deep in my heart the connection was there and I was very pleased and excited when Pia told me that you were coming to the dham and giving Srimad Bhagavatam class. I remember you held your gaze upon me at the beginning of the class and I was fearful that you could see all my false prestige. After your ecstatic class on Damodar lila the devotees crowded around you and my dear friend Pandita urged me to try to get the opportunity to associate with you, but, thinking it impossible, I said we should leave. We wandered back to the MVT and it was quite amazing actually, because when we stopped to get some fruit from the grocer an entourage of people walked past and when I saw by your robes that it was you, I dropped everything in my hands and ran after you, moving sheepishly amidst the procession of your disciples and well-wishes. When we arrived where you were staying, Shyam Gauri, who was busily engaged in your service, asked me if I could go and collect her milk delivery. I was very glad to render some service to Shyam Gauri, however, internally I felt that again the opportunity to meet with the Lord's pure devotee had slipped through my hands. As I was walking back with the milk, I saw that Shyam Gauri was calling me back and as I came nearer I could hear that she was saying that you were ready to see me!

Maharaja, you were so kind to me at that meeting. I was astounded that you thanked me for appreciating Vamsidhari's devotional qualities and expressed your gratitude to me for helping him in his Krsna consciousness. When I told Vamsidhari of our talk he said that the truth is that it is by your mercy only that he has any good qualities at all. And I am beginning to understand the reality of his statement. It is because of your shelter, unfathomable care and compassion, firm determination and your seeing and speaking on the authority of the sastra that your disciples have the rare and special mood and focus on devotional service that they do. It is awe-inspiring and I want nothing more than to imbibe their spirit of sacrifice and their surrender. I was practicing Krsna consciousness for only a short time when I started associating with Vamsidhari and it was his humility, his knowledge of the scripture and his no-nonsense approach that attracted me to Srila Prabhupada's books and to coming to New Zealand. When I came to last year's mid-year retreat I was chanting eight rounds and because of Krishnaloka's purity, shakti and encouragement I went home and immediately started to chant sixteen rounds. Now by that same inconceivable mercy I am here in Wellington, living, serving and associating with your gem-like disciples, reading and relishing the Srimad Bhagavatam, partaking in outreach programs, stuck to Gokul-Lila when I go out on sankirtan with her, venturing up to Krsna food to distribute delectable prasadam, and, though none of my friends, family or the devotees outside of Wellington would believe it to be true, I'm even learning how to cook. I am eternally indebted to you for giving me this opportunity and accepting this menial service.

I had read and been told that Srila Prabhupada said that when the disciple is sincere, Krsna will send a bona-fide guru. I wondered whether He would ever send one to me. The funny thing is that you were the first guru I ever met. I just couldn't see that right away. There are so many things I cannot see. How wonderful it is that the guru takes the torchlight of knowledge and presents it before the living entity enveloped in darkness. That knowledge relieves him from the sufferings of the darkness of ignorance. And your business is certainly to see that no human being suffers in this material world. Expertly spreading the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, you make it easy to chant and be happy.

"Glory to the Sri-Krsna-Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious".

Spreading Krsna consciousness, sharing it with others, is so satisfying. It brings joy to the Bhakti yoga practitioner and to everyone who comes into contact with Krsna and His devotees. Bruno, a twenty-four year old boy I met on Harinam, came to Soulfeast twice, did some service helping Gaura-arti to cook a feast, and shared a wonderful meal with Bal Gopal Prabhu, before heading back to the south ireland where he is being sponsored to stay in New Zealand. On his last visit to Bhakti Lounge he was telling me that he downloaded the maha-mantra onto his ipod and that he keeps listening to it over and over. He also said that when he was last taking intoxicants, he kept thinking "what would Bal Gopal say if he saw me doing this?" Just this week we were speaking on Facebook and he commented that, despite having travelled the world for the past two and a half years and meeting so many different people, he found his short time with us to be so memorable and that the devotees were the most special people he's ever encountered.

How fortunate we are to be engaged in service to guru and Gauranga! How grateful I am to be cultivating a relationship and aspiring to take initiation from you. I hope, pray and endeavor to accept your instructions as my heart and soul and to please you.

Your aspiring servant,
Bhaktin Antonia