Dear Gurudev,

Please accept our obeisances unto your lotus feet.

All Glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga,

On this special occasion of your birthday, I am filled with immense gratitude and reverence as I reflect upon your boundless compassion and guidance. Despite my own shortcomings and weaknesses of heart, you have always accepted me with grace and understanding. Your steadfast connection to the ancient Guru Parampara tradition shines through in every word and action, and I am eternally thankful for the wisdom you impart to us.

In one of our recent meetings, I was deeply moved by how pleased and satisfied you appeared with Poonam and the children. Your blessing, in the form of gentle instructions, continues to guide our lives. You emphasized the importance of regularly reading the Shastras and encouraged us to engage in daily Kirtan at home—a practice that has brought our family closer to devotion.

I still recall your kind yet firm chastisement about my inconsistent reading of Srimad Bhagavatam. Your words serve as a constant reminder, urging me to rise above my lethargy and commit myself to the sacred text with greater dedication. Your guidance shields me from complacency and continually rescues me from spiritual stagnation.

On this day, I humbly offer my thanks for your unceasing support and for the divine wisdom that you so selflessly share with all of us. May your blessings continue to inspire and uplift us on this spiritual journey.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupad,


Your Servant,

Aatmeswar Krishna Das,
Poonam Bharti,
Gaur Sundar & Nitai Sundar

Hare Krishna dear Guru Maharaja,



Please accept my humble obeiscances at your lotus feet, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.



I am writing this offering feeling very lowly and unqualified. Being put into a position of leadership this year has shown me how small and insignificant I truly am, and how much work is needed to truly purify myself. And that brings me closer to understanding your glories.



Experiencing the trials and tribulations I’ve faced this year help me to get a perspective on your own dedication and committment in your service to your spiritual master. You faced so much austerity and hardship, and yet you carried on spreading the mission, facing every challenge as the mercy of the lord.



Your time as a sankirtan devotee is a testament to your empowerment by Lord Chaitanya. Day in and day out you faced the mean streets of New York, standing there with your peers, enthusiastically trying to stop people, with no luck. Day after day, you faced hours of intense cold weather, and ridicule from the public. And yet you never gave up. It was only two years later, when the Lord opened the flood gates of his transcendental mercy, that you saw the result of your austerity. The lord empowered you to be an instrument in his mission, and the price was your resillience.



But that wasn’t the only time you exemplified your faithful steadfastness. Your time behind the iron curtain speaks for itself. Going to a place where violence was growing rampant, autocracy becoming the norm, you entered an environment which was so threatening to the livelihood of a devotee. You went to extreme lengths to distribute the holy name to the porr souls, being suffocated by a totalitarian state. You showed your bravery while secretly distributing books in the city center, with the risk of being caught and tortured to death. I once heard you speak of the bliss and joy that was felt in those special moments shared between vaishnavas in Russia, having Krishna Katha in a car in a back alleyway, where the fruits of your labor finally ripened, what a wonderful feat.



If that wasn’t enough, you started a whole new method for systematically introducing young members of society to Krishna Conciousness. The pure devotee of the Lord knows how to spread the message of Lord Chaitanya in any time, place, and circumstance, and you were empowered enough to make those adjustments. Your implementation of the CVA and Outreach centers all over the English speaking countries showed the extremities of your transcendental intelligence. Although that too was an endeavor which came with many setbacks. Lacking support from your godbrothers, facing ridicule from many members of the movement, you reminded us of Prabhupada’s efforts in starting the League of Devotees in Jhansi. Krishna puts his devotees through so much just to glorify them!



SB 10.14.8 says:



tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo

bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam

hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te

jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk



My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.



Thank you for showing us by your example how to patiently wait for Krishna’s mercy.



I had the fortune of spending time with you this summer during your visit to London. By your kindness you allowed me to cook for you, clean your room, go on walks together, and organise your schedule. I still think of that time every single day, as being the most blissful experience of my life. Just observing you in the way you performed your daily activities, I understood that you displayed pure love of god in every one of your actions. That you walked, drank, read, and honored prasadam so diligently. On our walks, you told stories about your days as a brahmacari, the ecstatic prasadam, the long days of sankirtan, the festivals, and I saw how much you relished living through those pastimes. I was able to look through the lense of a pure devotee for a week, and Im eternally indebted to you.



Your insignificant servant,

Abhinandana Gopa das

nama oṁ viṣnu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine

pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

Dear Gurudev
Please accept my humble obeisance
On this auspicious day of your vyasa puja, I sincerely thank you for giving us your conditional love and care.

I offer my respect to you sincerely and feel secure that you are following Srila Prabhupada and his teaching AS IT IS. Your conscientious efforts to explain the teaching of Srimad Bhagavatam are unparalleled.

I am conscious that I am celebrating this day by showing respect to Srila Vyasadeva and his sincere disciples such as your Holiness, who is delivering the highest truth AS IT IS through disciplic succession and the knowledge to understand this truth without any ulterior motives.

Recently, you were giving a small talk on YouTube - Bhadra Super Sunday with HG Vaisesika Prabhu, you were glorifying Srimad Bhagavatam and Srila Prabhupada. You pointed out how different issues are burning every soul in this world, and how these souls are counteracting to address these problems of life.

You precisely covered all the issues of the entire world in 1 sentence and gave a solution in 1 sentence, by explaining the Verse Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.2. You intelligently elaborated by quoting Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Swami’s statement, to understand the integrity of Srimad Bhagavatam’s verse.

Many times, I found solutions to problems and felt proud of my achievements. However in reality all these solutions are futile counteractions, not knowing the origin source of the problem and the real solution.

You mentioned that People like me are failing to take the Ultimate Counteraction which will solve the root cause of the problem which is taking shelter of Srimad Bhagavatam and it is true Followers like your holiness.

As Stated in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta, Madhya 19.170

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-parat vena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

 ‘Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.

On this auspicious day, I sincerely beg to Srimati Radha Rani and Krishna, that I want to become free from the designation of the doer, and would like to perform devotional service under the shelter of a True Bhagwat, such as your holiness.

I pray to Lord Shri Hari, that may he protect your health and may your instruction be my life and soul.

Yours Aspiring servant
Abhishek, Shubhra, Chakradhar and Murali.

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you on this special day of your appearance

Thank you for your care Gurudeva. In Caitanya Caritamrita, Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to Adi lila 1.46:
"A spiritual master is not the enjoyer of facilities offered by his disciples. He is like a parent. Without the attentive service of his parents, a child cannot grow into manhood; similiarly, without the care of the spitiual master one cannot rise to the plane of transcendental service."

You have given your life to help others. By your preaching programs and projects, people all over the world are inspired to take up devotional service. You can inspire anyone, regardless of background or conditioning. You have the ability to connect with whoever you are speaking to and as a result you have become a loving spiritual parent to so many dependents. An often thankless task. Yet you persevere, consistently present, patient, firm and loving. You are our sincere well wisher.

I remember thinking after one inital meeting with you, "Why does he even care? I haven't done anything for him, I haven't given him anything." You care to connect Krishna's parts back to the Whole. Your love and dedication to Srila Prabhupada drives you on, continuing the grueling schedule of world wide travel to nourish your disciples and create more opportunities for Krishna's lost parts to find their way back to Him. Your care and concern for the well being of all living entities is immeasurable.

Thank you Gurudeva for taking me on and caring for me. I hope that one day I may of some use to you in your mission to serve Srila Prabhupada and extending care to others.

Your aspiring servant and spiritual daughter,
Acyuta bhava devi dasi

My dear lord and master, dear Gurudeva

Please accept my prostrated obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you Gurudeva on this most auspicious occassion of your appearance.

Thank you for awarding me unlimited opportunities to dissolve my sinful subtle body through devotional service. Earlier this summer here at Gita Nagari, in answer to a question, you quoted a canonical verse that elucidates the potency of devotional service:

jarayaty āśu yā kośaṁ
nigīrṇam analo yathā

“Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat.” [SB 3.25.33]

In your humble submission on how you became drawn to the shelter Srila Prabhupada, from a party-connoisseur Yale graduate to a Radha-Govinda brahmacari, you’ve remarked that HH Bhakti-Caru Maharaja was shocked to hear your story, so much so that he said: “Well, then, anybody can become a devotee!” Obviously, after 52 years of being a lifelong celibate monk, repeating this miracle for many thousands of souls around the world on behalf of your spiritual master, and ultimately, for the Supreme miracle Worker and adi-guru, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, you are an empowered limb of the universal guru-parampara network. From “overt” espionage of smuggling transcendental literatures behind the Iron Curtain during the cold war, to covert inception in our own hearts, your incessant recitation of the glories of the Supreme Lord, puts ideas of more and more devotional service in our subtle bodies. In 2015 or so, at the BBT International meetings in South Africa, I recall the head of BBT Africa, Govaradhana prabhu, known for his grave demeanor, telling us excitedly, “Your Guru Maharaja is the greatest Bhagavatam speaker on the planet! After he spoke, all the BBTI trustees gave him a hale and hearty round of applause!”

In my reflection over the past decade of being under the shelter of your lotus feet, it’s becoming increasingly evident that I am a stick of your mercy. From graduating from university, averting the crocodile to neophyte faith in the form of a siksa-guru fall-down, to coming to Gita Nagari, sticking it out, and ultimately being awarded the opportunity to intimately serve the world famous Sri Sri Radha-Damodara, it’s clear that I shouldn’t be here. With cursory information of my past life, knowing the intricacies of my subtle body’s template, my biological father, a future of poor decision-making, debt and unrequited love were a forgone conclusion. But, as you told me prior to awarding me second initiation, “Today, Aghari Krsna dasa, we are making an exception.”

This exceptional mercy you grant many souls and saddhakas around the world, is evidence of the intense devotional fire burning within you. With this fire, you digest our sins, offenses and through your personal involvement in your disciples day-to-day lives and the devotional environments they serve in, you remove external obstacles to hearing and chanting, as an expert administrator does for his citizens, as a loving father does for his children he seeks to liberate from the cycle of birth and death.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, 6.18, we hear of the power of Agastya Muni’s power of digestion. Two asura brothers, Ilvala and Vatapi, would play a fatal prank on sages, by Vatapi taking the form of a ram, Ilvala cooking him into a stew and then serving his esteemed guest. After the sage was finished eating, Ilvala would call out, “Vatapi, come out!” And Vatapi, having a mystic siddhi, would reassemble his body in the sage’s belly and burst asunder through his abdomen. When Agastya Muni visited, he put an end to these egregious serial murders of sages, by fully digesting the wretched Vatapi.

Dear Guru Maharaja, on this auspicious occasion of your 74th appearance in this world, I thank you for digesting my demons so that I may go on in devotional service. Through your precise, pertinent and penetrating recitation of the Srimad Bhagavatam, I thank you for daily giving me the intelligence on how to continue burning material designations that cause pride; hence forgetfulness of my position in this world and your unlimited mercy upon me.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

On this blessed day, I pray to follow your example and instruction of reading Srimad Bhagavatam daily. In this way I may finally become free of my demons and so-called “demigods” of material good qualities.

Your lowly and grateful servant,
Aghari Krsna dasa

Dear Gurudeva

Please Accept my Humble Obeicences, all Glories to Srila Prabhupada

I wish I had a Trillion counchshells to repay you for your kindness. Without your guidance my future was destined to be dry, dark and dusty, programmed to continue in a body comprised of sadness, lack of self-worth, feelings of inadequacy and ownership of many other destructive thought patterns. Who would have thought that someone like me could manage to stumble onto your radar on this tiny archipelago in the south pacific and become a fortunate beneficiary of your “Happiness Campaign.” Maybe one day the inhabitants of Kiwi Loka will be surfing on the beautiful golden waves generated by this chakra of joy you have ceaselessly been building here. I wish New Zealand could transform into a spiritual nation that will only let you through customs if you chanted Hari bol. Imagine if the whole world could be attracted to this little loka if it were rich spiritually and materially, then surely the rest of the world would want to follow This supernatural goal remains as a a fantasy file in my mind while I continue to try and serve you amidst a the reality that civilisation resembles a flaming jet plane falling from the sky into the ocean and all that can really be done is to selvage the intelligent survivors.

Thank you for carefully organising a strategic rescue effort for you serious disciples to ensure their success in spiritual life and for stressing the importance of outreach to attract more spirit souls to swim towards the love boat, with the hope that they might actually jump onboard. You do the impossible, i find it disturbing just moving into a different room in the same house,, what to speak of travelling the world continuously?

Still trying to be your servant.

Akarsini Devi dasi

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble & respectful obeisances at your lotus feet on the auspicious occasion of your appearance day.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on this glorious day. This year we have been very fortunate to have your presence in Sydney on this glorious day. This is such a rare opportunity to serve & glorify you in your presence.
Its mission impossible to achieve self-realisation on one’s own effort and only possible with mercy of guru. It’s said in scriptures that we can achieve Krishna through mercy of guru and one gets a guru through the mercy of Krishna.
Only when we are fully frustrated with the material world then we will be eligible to go back to Godhead.
How well you have illustrated in your various talks that our constitutional position is ‘sat’ (eternal) but we take shelter of material energy (‘asat’). In this material world we cannot gain ‘unadulterated’ happiness, any kind of happiness is always ‘tainted’ with some distress. In the womb of every little happiness that we experience there is a misery waiting to be born.
You have shown that the science on Bhakti-Yoga is beyond material happiness. It is transcendental.
Please bless me in strengthening my faith and conviction in this process. Also please help me in controlling anger, ego & pride and develop forgiveness & humility.
I am reading Srimad Bhagvatam daily and I am now up to Canto 10 Part 3 chapter 61, text 21. My wife and myself have also started conducting weekly BG classes for newcomers as an outreach initiative. Please bless us that we do it to please you and Srila Prabhupada in a humble mood of service.
I will strive to follow your instructions and assist in spreading mission of Iskcon to the best of my capacity.
Please bless me with your mercy in serving Krishna and His devotees.
I pray to the Lord for your good health & well-being.
Your humble servant of a servant,
Akhanda Rasa das

My Dear Gurudeva.
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you.
On this very auspicious day of your vyas pooja, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude at your lotus feet.
It is stated in Srimad Bhagwattam, that the servants of the lord wander all around the world with only interest to enlighten the world with transcendental knowledge; which is very evidently seen in your life. It is very compassionate of yours that at such an advance age you are travelling to teach the science of krishna to people from all walks of life. Dear Gurudeva, it is evidently seen in many occasions that just by your personal presence and by the words from your lotus mouth, people become very favourable to bhakti lifestyle, which is coming directly from Lord Chaitanya through disciplic succession. When Srila Prabhupada first arrived Boston, he had the immense conviction that only if the words of Srimad bhagwattam goes into the ears of these people then only their miserable condition of life affecteing from 3 fold miseries can ultimately come to an end, we have seen the same mood in you, carrying from your spiritual master, in your talks to wide range of audience you explain the science of bhakti yoga by translating the message of Srimad bhagwattam, in todays relevant way to make everyone understand the need of spirituality in life. Dear Gurudeva, I have personally seen how directly you are involved in your disciples life in terms of their well-being, and training them in their devotional life, you skillfully understand their inclinations and guide them aptly just as an expert physician. You often point out the importance of both outreach programs and taking care of devotees, and you rightly exemplify through your actions.
You have proved through your actions that the mission of Mahaprabhu is your life and soul, by preaching undercover in communist countries, risking your life, with the conviction that Srila Prabhupada’s book can finish communism you have preached about Lord Krishna, the bravery in doing so is directly coming from your Spiritual Master.

Dear Gurudeva, I really want to express it to you that each time you ask me “ How are you?” , I become very nervous and can not answer you properly, but i actually want to express you that I feel very sheltered, enthusiastic and warm in your presence, and after your visits from Melbourne, your lectures inspires me a lot, many times I have questions in my mind, that i wanted to ask you but very soon I get clarity on same subject from your lectures. I wanted to share one incident Gurudeva where I wanted to thank you for giving your darshans to my mother in Mayapur, i was too shy to say anything to you, I was just initiated for 3 months and you were visiting to Melbourne after a while, and when i met you I was thinking you must have forgotten , but suddenly you said “So I met your mother in Mayapur”; and I was shocked and yet convinced of the fact that spiritual master knows what going on in disciple’s mind.
Dear Gurudeva; when I see myself on the journey of Krishna Consciousness, I see myself on the start line of it and as a spiritual father you have provided me as your son, everything to start the journey in the form of nice association, study programs, sumptuous prasadm, devotional activities, etc, but my unwillingness in the form of strong desires to enjoy in this material world is stoping me to begin my journey.
I humbly want to take shelter of your words because I can not see any other hope other than that because of my stubborn nature. Please keep guiding me, and keep me under your shelter. Please give me the mercy that may be one day in my life I would get the same taste that you get by reading Srila Prabhuapada's books.
Your insignificant servant
akhila-lokanatha das

Hare Krishna 🙏🏻
All glories to srila prabhupada. All glories to your lotus feet. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance. Please accept my humble obeisances to your lotus feet. 🙏🏻
My dear Gurudeva,
At first I want to say thank you so much for accepting this unworthy and fallen soul under your shelter. Your mercy is unlimited. I am not able to progress in path of bhakti without your mercy. As caitanya mahaprabhu said, “ out of millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bonafied spiritual master by mercy of Krishna.” By will of Krishna’s and mercy of pure devotees, my shiksha guru, I have your blissful darshan. It was in 2019 in Hare Krishna valley. I never had that divine experience before. It was beautiful 3 days retreat with Your lectures , kirtan, chanting. It was my first experience. I learned so many new things. Learned about how should we live our life and put Krishna’s in the center of whatever we do. You shared Amrisha maharaj , prahlaad maharaj example. I was wishing if life is keep going like this would be so blissful. By mercy of our Shikha guru, BV leader I had personal association. I asked my prabhu is not supportive and sometime gets upset. You asked, “ does it bother you?” I didn’t hear properly and then you repeated , “ does it bother you?”. I answered, “No”. And you smiled and open your both hands. That time I Couldn’t understand the instructions behind your smile. It was your blessings gurudeva. 🙏🏻. Until today it doesn’t bother me gurudeva. After that I have tried to attend your all your lectures when you visited here in Melbourne. I started put your kirtan and your previous lectures during cooking. Your all lectures and each word is eye openin
g and melodious. This meterial world is very dangerous place. I have so many anarthas. If I feel low sometime I put Your lecture in Hare Krishna valley in 2012 “ The art of happy living” I have listened many times. Every time I learned something new in same 5 lectures. They are the best clases. It was lots of stories, from scriptures,laugh, engagement during session. i have ever heard.Dear gurudeva I seek your blessings so that I can continue in the journey of Krishna’s consciousness with ful
l energy and enthusiasm and not fall in maya. I am not qualified , pure and do not have any knowledge. Your blessings are only ray of hope for me to progress in Bhakti. On your auspicious appearance day I am Praying to Krishna for your good health.

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you on this most auspicious occasion

Thank you Gurudeva for generously providing so many opportunities for devotional service.

The material world offers seemingly endless varieties of opportunities for absorbing our senses. The futility of such activities to find satisfaction leads to countless strategies to improve the result. Since all such attempts come under the category of maya - the misunderstanding that there is happiness outside of our connection with Krishna - they ultimately prove useless.

Brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva, guru krishna prasade bhakti lata bija. By the mercy of Krishna and yourself I have been given the rarest opportunity; to engage my senses continuously in devotional service. An opportunity to find genuine satisfaction. Although again and again I’m reminded how fortunate I have become, due to immaturity and dullness, I cannot appreciate my position.

This is where the magic of the spiritual master becomes manifest - keeping the disciple engaged by offering dynamic services based on their psychophysical nature. Knowing the needs of the modern kali-yuga resident, Srila Prabhupada taught through his example; how to keep his disciples somehow or other connected to Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan movement. In the same way you are ready to offer the devotees expert guidance on keeping their senses engaged in devotional service.

Thank you for your patience. Despite my reluctance to dive into the depths of devotional service, you keep me on track.

I pray for your protection; that I can become fully dedicated to serving Krishna at all times with ever increasing depth.

Your servant,
Amani Gaurahari das

Dear Gurudev,

please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Shrila Prabhupada,

thank you for saving me from wasting my valuable human form of life. I remember when I had my first darshana with you & I asked you a question I had been thinking about since quite a while. Having experimented with different things - not really finding satisfaction .. I asked you: How can I find inner peace? You replied - :”try to chant a minimum of the Hare krishna mantra everyday. You can do more, but never go below a certain standard.” This advice probably many devotees would give.. But the way you said, in that particular moment of my life had a tremendous effect on my consciousness. You added - “if you do that, you will save time”. That statement left me puzzled.. how am I gonna save time, if I spent 1 or 2 hours chanting everyday. A few months passed & I realized what you said was true. Although I wasn’t yet completely peaceful, I felt my life was getting so much more simple. I stopped going to parties, pubs, dealers etc, and because I wasn’t spending so much I could even quit my part time job to fully focus on graduating from uni. Actually what I received as student finance was enough for my needs.. but not for my greed. It’s amazing to think about how much I spent on superfluous things. It is like meeting somebody on Sankirtan who says “I don’t have any money”.. but what they actually say is - “I want to spend my money on something else, something “more important””. Often young people readily admit that they just want to buy some alcohol, or just spend it on getting their nails done. But how can I judge them? I was going down the same road. The only thing that makes me different is the merci I have received from you.



evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe
kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt
kṛtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā bhagavan gṛhītaḥ
so 'haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje tava bhṛtya-sevām



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 Nārada 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? (SB 7.9.28)

This material world is like a spider web,
I was caught in the net,
didn’t know how to escape,
I thought I would suffocate

Every move to become free,
creates greater calamity,
it is a fallacy,
I am full of anxiety

By your help I can be released,
focus on the sweet melody,
the holy name resounds,
your voice clearly pronounced.

I remember visiting Wales for the first time five years ago. I just started to chant the maha mantra that week.. On the way back from the temple to the ashrama I was overcome by a strong feeling of regret. Questions arising in my mind that I never had before.. Why did I start to take drugs & live a party lifestyle? Is this actually going to bring me happiness? What got me into it? Why am I living a life like this? Am I heading to a dead end?
I started to cry & had to stop on the side.. Reflecting on my life… That’s the way the mantra started to purify me. Ceto darpana marjanam. I was never questioning like this before.. It came as a surprise.
Purification has begun, but still it feels like there is a long way left to go. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a few steps, or as you often point out, that “Initiation means the beginning of the spiritual journey”.

kabe ha'be bolo se-dina āmār
aparādha ghuci', śuddha nāme ruci,
kṛpā-bale ha'be hṛdoye sañcār

When my offenses ceasing, Taste for the name increasing, when in my heart will you merci shine, when O when will that day be mine? (Sharanagati, Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

Please Gurudev help me to become a conductor of your merci, a via medium, a dancing dog of the supreme Lords spiritual potency. Help me to get out of the way.

kabe jībe doyā, hoibe udoya,
nija-sukha bhuli' sudīna-hṛdoya
bhakativinoda, koriyā binoya,
śrī-ājñā-ṭahala koribe pracār

When will I feel compassion for all living beings? When will I forget my own pleasure in genuine humility? And when will I, Bhaktivinoda, meekly go from door to door, preaching your message of love? (Sharanagati, Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

Your insignificant servant,
Amrita-Tattva Dasa

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my obeisances, all glories to you on your Vyasa puja day.

I recall a fond memory from 8 months ago; stood in my kitchen, ringing a small silver bell, I chanted your pranam mantra to a picture of you on my alter next to miniature wooden Gaura Nitai. I was offering kitchari, which I daily take to college for lunch. A routine event … but on this particular day, as I gazed at that picture, admiring you, I felt a deep surge of gratefulness. I was relishing the realisation that I’m so fortunate to have you in my life, you are my guide and my connection to the parampara. Because of you I have a chance, to put things right, to redeem myself … and it’s so simple. In a recent darsan I tried to relay this experience to you and you cut through the sentimentality of the story by asking, “Was it you who cooked the kitchari? … well then continue to develop your cooking skills.” You must be able to see how much I crave encouragement for the small things I do.

You play one of the most significant roles in my life. But it’s not just me you do this for, it’s also my family; materially and spiritually speaking. By your painstaking efforts to sacrifice your life in the fire of Prabhupada’s mission you have unified spouses, siblings, whole families and even communities! What a service to ISKCON! And what a weight to bear? Under the comparatively minor responsibilities of managing my own life I often feel ready to crumble … but to be an essential pillar in the lives of so many is unfathomable to me. And you do it with so much love!

It was in the brahmacari asrama that Hriman Krishna prabhu introduced me to the idea that love takes forms other than the squishy clichéd affection we are attached to in this age. Then I began to see, observing you deal with your disciples, you always take the utmost care and attention to treat them in just the right way, so that they get what they need. The perfect example of a personalist!

During my first year in Wellington, shortly after I had asked to take shelter of you as my spiritual master, to show your love, you took the austerity of ruffling my hair in the airport as I helped you with your bags. When I joined the Brahmacari asrama and I no longer had hair to ruffle you showed your care by paying attention to my service, sadhana and personal relationships. And now, as I make attempts to transition into family life, you show your care by publicly joking about my courtship and flamboyant style so that I don’t take myself so seriously. I cherish every bit of attention you give me, whether it makes me shrink away and blush or swell with happiness, because you know what’s best for me. You’re the perfect example of a father who lovingly guides his dependants in a way just right for them, with their best interests at heart.

You’re the perfect example of a devotee; you have sacrificed your life to preach Lord Caitanya’s message, which you do tirelessly and without consideration for your own comfort. Recently I saw footage of you giving class in what appeared to be a sports stadium. Lacking knowledge of the circumstances which led to such an arrangement, I suspended any judgement of the decision making that placed you there. Instead I marvelled at the wonder of my role model, more of a hero to me than any sports superstar could ever be, gravely chanting Krishnas names, ready to serve Prabhupāda in practically any circumstances.

You don’t ask much of me, perhaps being aware of my capacity and disposition. Recently you simply encouraged me to “become a devastating cook”, read with my potential future spouse and keep a healthy balance of spiritual and material activities. This much I can do, but I would like to follow in your footsteps and do more. I wish I had more to offer but, like I said last year, I plan to stick around. So hopefully with your continued guidance, patience and mercy one day I’ll do more than pull my weight.

I admire older devotees who can stick to glorification of the spiritual master in such offerings. But I don’t seem to have developed that skill yet, so here were some attempts to express how special you are to me and how grateful I am to you.

Your aspiring servant,
Anādi Kaiśora dāsa

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Prabhupada

I am grateful that, for some reason, despite my endless shortcomings, I still somehow have the lifeline of real humans (kind, honest, trustworthy, soft hearted, good character, trying to improve) to be in the faint midst of, to catch the tailwinds of, all of who you inspire to be that way, every day. For this reason among many I am thankful.

Happy appearance day
Ananda-candra

Hare Krishna Gurumaharaj.
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All Glories To Srila Prabhupada & your Vyasa Puja Day.

Gurudev,
This year has been a mere reflection of BG 2.14. I have very closely witnessed the highs and lows this year.
I was initially struggling with my endeavors in the Chartered Accountancy Course. For the last couple of years, I was unable to clear these examinations. Somewhere I realised I was over-endeavouring. As a result, my book reading, sadhu sanga, japa, harinaam.... everything was taking a hit.
This time i tried something different, I simply did my best, left the rest to the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Govind Dev and I did not miss out on any home programme, temple programme, yatra, harinaam fest, sadhu sanga, book reading etc.
To be honest, I personally wasn't confident about a favorable result. But, Krishna made me pass with 'distinction'... "pratijna tava govinda na me bhaktya pranasyati..... ".
I am grateful to the Lordships and to you for your never ending mercy.
I have made a deliberate effort over the last 2-3 years to improve my quality of japa, association and book reading, and enjoy reading shastra alot. At the same time, I love interacting with newcomers at the temple, having conversations, answering questions. Off late, I have started taking classes as well. Please bless me so I can further Srila Prabhupada's mission to the best of my ability.
With your blessings I am getting married to Shyama Sakhi devi dasi on the 25th of November 2024. Please do visit us at the earliest, and give us an opportunity to serve you.

Ys
Ananta Katha Dasa Anudasa.

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my respectful obeisances at your lotus feet! All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to you on this day of your appearance!

I often reflect on how you began serving Srila Prabhupada even before I was born 50 years ago, which feels like a long time. So many circumstances have changed during that period, but you have persevered in your service. When personal health challenges arose, you shifted your service from book distribution to a new role in proofreading and publishing Srila Prabhupada’s books, participating in the famous marathon to publish all volumes of Caitanya Caritamrita in just two months!

After Srila Prabhupada’s departure from this planet, you went behind the “Iron Curtain” when it was needed most. I cannot fully appreciate the extent of your sacrifices and the risks you took in doing so. Still, being born in the USSR, I can relate to the circumstances you must have experienced while being in the “Soviet Bloc” countries—East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, etc.
It is an unforgettable feeling to live in a state where everyone is watched and controlled, afraid to ask questions or challenge the authorities at the risk of prosecution. The state-controlled media filled the ears of the population with political propaganda. From early childhood, I was repeatedly told, “God does not exist” and “the goal of life is to build Communism.”

Despite those conditions, people were thirsty for knowledge, and various censored literature circulated among friends and families—often photocopied, handwritten, or re-typed on a typewriter. You shared a few stories about how you smuggled books into those countries and the encounters you had with the secret services and the police.

Why would someone dare to come to such a place and try to distribute transcendental knowledge at the risk of being thrown into prison or a psychiatric asylum? Only because of great love for your spiritual master and enormous compassion for suffering souls did you take that risk, for which I am forever grateful. Krishna protected you, and I am so fortunate to have met you years later in New Zealand. I offer my respectful obeisances to you millions of times.

After the Soviet Union fell apart in the early nineties, you continued to travel and preach all over the world, reaching souls and hearts in South America, Africa, and Australia, while making your base in New Zealand. You are always busy traveling, preaching, and inspiring devotees in many places across all continents.

In one of the classes, you explained how Srila Prabhupada wanted Gita Nagari Farm to be an example of “simple living and high thinking.” While I had the fortune to visit the farm this year, I developed a greater understanding of your involvement with the project and an appreciation for your continuous effort to fulfill the desires of your spiritual master.

I meditate on how much you have achieved and how much you can give by surrendering everything to the mission of your Guru. I wish that one day I will be able to surrender to your mission and serve you to the best of my capacity.


Your servant,
Ananta-naga das

Hare Kṛṣṇa Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on this auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja.

As I sit here and try to think about what to say, it is very clear to me that I am so unworthy to call myself your disciple. Despite my feelings of unworthiness, I find solace in knowing that you wont abandon me. Not because I deserve it, but because you are so merciful. Year after year, you continue to tolerate my shortcomings, you guide me and always want whats best for my Krishna consciousness.

Your skills and qualities are endless - your humor, your sharp and witty intelligence, your innovative preaching, your expertise in dealing with others according to their culture, personality, and conditioning, your sincerity and devotion, among many others. I feel grateful and blessed to have the example and guidance of such an exalted devotee and caring spiritual father.

Sitting here, a memory just popped in my mind - I remember that night at Bhakti Lounge, while ecstatically dancing in one of your kirtans, I realized that my heart seemed to be growing out of my chest. With every passing moment of being in your presence, of hearing you chant the Holy Names, my love for Krishna and every devotee in that room was growing. In that moment I knew. I knew that you could help me love Krishna. I knew that you were my spiritual master. I thank you for accepting me as your disciple and pray that you will bless me so that I may always remain under your shelter.

Your aspiring servant and spiritual daughter,
Ananya-bhakti devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glory to Srila Prabhupada and all glory to you on this all-auspicious day of your vyas pooja .Gurudev before coming to iskcon Like others I had no purpose in life. I was going with flow but what happened in last couple of years in my family life Now I can connect all the dots . I clearly understood this human life is most beautiful gift one can get . suddenly all started going into right direction thanks to All iskcon devotees . During our family visit to Melbourne you shower your mercy on me .your mercy gave me purpose in life to serve guru and Gauranga . I could feel connection with entire parampara. Gurudev Brahma meditatted on lord Hari for 100 celestial years all he could learn that krisna' s apulance and superimecy is unlimited .Gurudev your mercy upon devotees is unlimited. You always shown mercy on fallon souls like me. Gurudev you always followed parbhupad’s instructions .
1. Travelling every part of the world and spreading Krishna consciousness. That’s what parbhupad did and encourage all his disciple to do the same.
2. Emphasising on book distribution.
I remember my recent visit . we were in room with gurudev and one devotee gave update on book distribution. Gurudev was so happy .
Gurudev you always kept parbhupad’s instructions at your topmost priority.
I will finish by requesting
Gurudev please shower your mercy and keep me under your wings and guide me on spiritual path.
Jai Gurudev and Srila parbhupad ki jai .
Your servant

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupāda!

I am hoping to appreciate and glorify you as best I can on this special day of your Vyasa Puja!

A few months ago, you gave a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class at the Auckland Sri Sri Rādhā-Giridhārī Temple. As you sat on the vyāsāsana, garlanded with fresh, vibrant flowers, you looked very grand and royal to me. While hearing you read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and deliver the greatest knowledge for the benefit of everyone, I felt overawed and very happy to be connected with you in a tiny way. I am very grateful for you being a part of my life.

When I am at home, I often try to listen to your talks, classes, and podcasts. Every day, I feel like I am struggling against the foggy cloud of ignorance that envelops my mind and consciousness. But when I hear your voice (through my phone), your words help me to see more clearly. Your words dispel my ignorance, uncertainty, and misgivings, and guide me forwards while pointing out unseen hazards on the path ahead. Hearing you speak, I find it easier to understand how I can apply the knowledge in Srila Prabhupāda’s books and start to figure out what I am supposed to do in life. That is, trying to realise who I am, in relation to Krsna, as well as how do that, by the positive processes of devotional service (especially hearing and chanting about Krsna with devotees).

While reading Chapter 87 “Prayers by the Personified Vedas” in Krishna Book recently, this paragraph stood out to me. In particular, the last sentence reminded me of you.
“Kṛṣṇa advises everyone just to surrender unto Him alone, and that is the way of Vedic instruction. Since Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, He is worshiped by all kinds of sages and saints through observance of the regulative principles. As far as meditation is concerned, great personalities meditate on the transcendental form of Kṛṣṇa within the heart. In this way the minds of great personalities are always engaged in Kṛṣṇa. With their minds engaged in Kṛṣṇa, naturally the captivated devotees simply talk of Kṛṣṇa.”

To my limited perception, you seem so captivated when remembering, speaking about, and relishing the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Krishna. In fact, going deeper into the pastimes, I noticed that you often speak in the present tense. This makes it feel like you are really present in those lilas and makes it so wonderful to hear. I am grateful for the opportunity to hear you speak about Krishna and Lord Caitanya, and especially for how you always explain the tattva so that we don’t misunderstand or make offences.

I really like your emphasis on interpersonal dealings. You seem to relish the sweet, delicate, and refined (and transcendental) dealings between the pañca-tattva and their associates. In your lectures you often encourage us to interact nicely with each other. I’m even more inspired to work on my interpersonal dealings when I see how carefully and lovingly you interact with others. Thank you also for your practical advice on how to change habits (such as revenge bedtime procrastination), and effectively engineer a lifestyle for the development of higher (Krishna) Consciousness.

Another thing I appreciate is your expertise and dedication to giving Krishna Consciousness to others. I feel amazed when you present Krishna Consciousness so skillfully, expertly, and lucidly to all manner of audiences. The more I make small attempts to try to tell others about Krishna, the more I realise it’s not as easy as you make it look, and I appreciate your efforts even more.

Thank you for being based in New Zealand, giving us the opportunity to hear from you in person. I really like the end of year Recharge Festivals, where you give many morning and evening classes and enliven us with kirtan! I also feel grateful that you dedicate time to check in with your disciples and meet newer persons face to face. I feel grateful too for the association of your disciples and well-wishers. I think that they are all the best people, because they are very kind, intelligent, and merciful.

Aspiring to serve you in some way,
Annabelle

My dear Gurudeva,

Hare Krishna!

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila PRABHUPADA.
All glories to you, gurudeva.

Gurudev, Happy Birthday!

On this special occasion of your birthday I pray to Krishna for your health and wellbeing. May Krishna give you all the bliss.

Gurudev while I was waiting my offering to you. My both sons were saying to me that is he going to read this as you are insignificant to him and he might not know you at all. I told them that Gurudev will surely read it as he always care about us.

I have been reflecting on a profound experience Gurudev. The first time I met you, I couldn’t stop crying, and even for hours after, I felt an overwhelming sense of bliss and tears flowed uncontrollably. This experience remains etched in my heart, but I don’t fully understand why it happened. If you can, please help me understand what caused such a powerful reaction within me.

Gurudev I would like to share with you that After my grandfather passed away, I deeply missed him. He was a devoted follower of Lord Ram, and since his passing, I’ve often felt that void. While praying to Krishna, it felt as though He answered by bringing you into my life. Thank you for giving me your shelter. I have desire to cook for you Gurudev. I pray to Krishna to give me this opportunity soon.

Often, I think about the questions I want to ask you to get your personal darshan but I always think that, all my questions seems having no importance but I deeply hope to see you again and I will try my best to find a better question to ask. As you always say that if we have anything important to ask then only we are allowed to have your personal darashan. Can you please allow us sometimes to see you without having question 🙏

With devotion and gratitude!

Your insignificant servant

Anshu(Madhur)

Hare Krishna Gurudev🙏🏼
Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupaad .

On the auspicious occasion of your appearance day , I want to convey my heart felt gratitude for all your mercy.
The day I have been given the shelter of your lotus feet, I have been feeling so joyful and blissful. I feel more situated to enhance my devotional practices and feel a positivity within as if you are watching over me all the time .
While offering lamp and incense to your lotus like smiling and ever kind face in the morning , I pray for becoming your full disciple, to be able to serve the mission of Srila Prabhupaad and spread Krishna consciousness wherever I go 🙏🏼

Please continue to shower your kind mercy on a fallen soul like me so that seed of Krishna Bhakti gets invoked in my heart .

In your lotus feet,

Your servant
Aparna

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you and to Srila Prabhupada who, by your words and actions, carry the light of sambanda jñāna, spiritual knowledge.

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
chakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

Even after nearly a decade of offering this prayer, I can't say that my eyes have opened very much at all. It's quite a paradox because on the one hand, I recognise that you and key senior bhakti practitioners have done so much for me, yet internally I am still pretty self absorbed, controlling and rebellious. I think I'm in my teenage phase of bhakti at the moment, Gurudeva, in which part of me often thinks I'm right and that my own way is best.

Nonetheless, this year I am meditating on your steadiness, determination and detachment in your service and all your dealings, in order to purify my own intentions. Every day without question, you show up with full attention for Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, your peers, your students and for the general public with whom you interact. From what I have observed of you over the years, you are so grounded and plugged in. In a world with so much human fallibility, it instils hope in me to connect with someone who is fixed and steady like you. Perhaps it's your unwavering adherence to the principles Srila Rupa Goswami describes in NOI verse 3 - utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt - enthusiasm, confidence and patience. Perhaps this is the praśāntasya or equinimity of a yogi that Krishna speaks of in BG chapter 6.

In a recent episode of your On the Way to Krishna podcast, you describe how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's 'only desire is to make people happy'; to bestow spiritual happiness in connection with Krishna through sankirtan. As a dedicated follower of Mahaprabhu, this is your mission too. I am grateful to be a beneficiary of this happiness mission, as well as a very humble custodian trying to pass the happiness onto the next person.

Thank you, Gurudeva, for allowing me to be a tiny little plant under the huge umbrella of your love and shelter. With my material conditioning of always having to prove myself, it is difficult to believe that your support and love is unconditional, though deep down I know that it is, just as the Lord's love is.

Thank you for kindly allowing - as you always do - my interactions with you to be a reflection on my own 'agonies and ecstasies' in bhakti. You never ask anything of me and are always so encouraging of the service Karthik and I try to do. I don't feel qualified to offer prayers for you Gurudeva, but nonetheless my heart feels called to ask Krishna to continue to bless you with health in mind and body in order to continue your service here for as long as the Lord desires.

Your aspiring servant and daughter
Apūrva-mādhurī devi dasi

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

Earlier this year you mentioned to me that you hope myself and tulavati can remain devotees.

I was a little bit shocked as this comment seemed to come out of nowhere. I hadn't really thought that myself or Tulavati could stop practicing Krishna consciousness.

Now I consider this potential reality more seriously.

It's humbling to experience how prone I am to material desires and distractions - once given a little bit of independence.

As Srila Prabhupada explained, spiritual life is like a razor's edge.

Despite my lack of sincerity I'm very grateful to you Gurudeva for giving me a chance to be Krishna conscious and giving me so much of your precious time.

As the years in the bramachari ashram went past I felt my connection with you deepen and a sense of friendship develop, not like any friendship in the material world. I could sense that you appreciate me and care so much for me, just for my tiny offering of service.

What I appreciate the most is how you can care so much about me even though you are fully conscious that I can leave Krishna consciousness at any time.

Of course It's not just me that you care for, it's your hundreds of disciples and whoever you meet.

How difficult it must be when someone who you have shown so much love turns away from you and even gives you criticism.

Any ordinary conditioned soul would be traumatized after having repeatedly invested their heart into others who either don't appreciate it or even resent it.

Surely this is why Krishna explains that whoever gives this knowledge of Bhagavad Gita to others is most dear to him - it's often a thankless and even painful task.

While I struggle to overcome my material desires, I fear that I will become a disobedient disciple whom Krishna helps to forget the truth of maya.

On this auspicious day of your appearance I beg for spiritual strength and protection from the material energy.

I'm always unhappy and depressed in the service of the material energy and I know the greatest happiness is to hear you say "Aravinda Nabha" with a happy voice as I pay my obeisances before you.

I pray that tulavati and I will not leave your side. We both wish to offer our life to your service.

Thank you for all of the encouragement, association and instructions you have given me.

Your servant,
Aravinda Nabha das.

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisance.

This day provides us with a wonderful opportunity to glorify your remarkable life and your lifelong dedicated service to Srila Prabhupad. You are mercy personified, having accepted this lowly being and connected him to the parampara of Srila Prabhupad. Your personal care for your disciples is unfathomable. You constantly remind us of the importance of staying connected to Srila Prabhupad. Even after a long gap, when I meet you, I am amazed by how you recall things from our last meeting. You are a phenomenal personality, filled with love and care. Thank you for your kindness to this humble soul. Please bless me so that I may continue to follow your instructions.

Hare Krishna!

Your servant,
Ārta Bandhu dāsa

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to you on this special day

Hare Krishna

Your activities and efforts are incomprehensible to me. All I see is your tireless preaching, unbreakable determination, inexhaustible compassion and love for your disciples. Year on year.

Your focus and diligence inspires me to the core. Where we live in a world of temporary highs and slumping lows. It is as if your preaching activities seem to go on unphased. From my humble position I feel unqualified to glorify you, but respect is commanded nonetheless.

Young people often ask me, how do you know your guru is legit? Its simple.
You constantly direct us to the shelter or Srila Prabhupada. Your first request to me was to scrupulously study Srila Prabhupadas books. When I look back, I am so grateful to have that encouragement and to have had the opportunity to read Prabhupadas books many times over. It has grounded me spiritually. I am somewhat immune to the turbulence of envious devotees and their rebellious ideas and philosophies. I can discern very quickly when unauthorised ideas are being added to a class or discussion. Prabhupada himself stressed the importance of reading his books and even said that all the dramas and scandals will concern only those who are not grounded in reading his books. As Prabhupada said, if you want to know me, read my books. Gurudeva, I’ll never forget your class at Ōtaki December 2012 when you said “All I want for my disciples is to know Srila Prabhupada.”

Your loyalty to Srila Prabhupada and dedication to his service commands respect. I pray for even a fragment of your focus and determination to go deeper and find that next level. I hope to someday serve you more directly. I like to hope my days are training me for something of service to you. Thank you for your shelter Gurudeva. I may not get to see you often or serve you directly. In the meantime I will just keep my beads in my hands and chant my way through the tempest of Kali.

As you always say. Everything begins and ends with chanting Hare Krishna.

Thank you

Jays Guru and Gauranga

With much love and gratitude

Hare Krishna

Your servant
Āśrayānanda dasa

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Let us offer our respectful obeisances at your lotos feet! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to your service! All glories to all of your disciples!
Guru Maharaj,
Just see how fortunate we are for having you as our spiritual master. We are licking the honey from your lotos feet and are never satiated. A spiritual master who is enriched with transcendental knowledge easily delivers his disciples from the fallen condition of material existence. By studying the Vedas one attains only partial knowledge. It's only by the mercy of the spiritual master that one can develop devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are thrown by the stormy waves of material desires of our bodies and we are dragged further and further downstream. No living entity is able to counteract the power of Maya unless it is delivered by the mercy of a bona fide representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No matter what we do we could never pay our debt to you, Guru Maharaj. Nevertheless on the eve of your vyasa puja we would like to express our deepest gratitude for giving us the shelter of your lotos feet and your mercy.
Trying to be your servants
Atma Prasada Das and Bhaktin Victoria

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my respectful obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupāda.

I wanted to express my gratitude for your example. As an acharya your constant chanting and dedication to sharing of the holy names with others have been a true inspiration showing that is is possible to be truly satisfied. You kindly remind us conditioned souls that there's more to life than nonsense we've been fed by the mainstream world aswell as the so-called alternatives still centred on the same sense gratification.

Through your example, you show us that there's another path, a pure path a sublime path back to Krishna. Your dedication helps me see it is possible.

I beg for your mercy so that one day I can become pure and fully engaged in devotional service.

Your servant,
Ātmā-Dharma dāsa

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaFounder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna ConsciousnessA.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada



Vyasa-puja Offering Submission

Dear Bāla Gopāla dāsa ,
Thank you so much for your submission.
Hare Krishna.

This is how your offerings will look. Please check it and resubmit, if necessary:

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to you on this most important day for us all !

Earlier this year, in your service, I listened and read over with care, some AI transcriptions of your sacred words from your delightful podcasts.

It prompted precious memories of how segments of your lectures were transcribed by Ramadas Prabhu many years ago on an electric typewriter. He would print them for us to study as guidelines for giving introductory talks to guests.

Your every word is like a delicious feast for the starving soul, each selected perfectly intune with the mission of Mahāprabhu. Every utterance, laden with saffron dust particles transmitted via what appeared to be ordinary human articulation, but nay, these words are richly infused with Love of Godhead, descending via the Gaudiya Vaisnava Party, then placed carefully into presentable human language for the poor creatures we are, sunk in the dense mud of Kali Yuga.

In my personal listening to your divine discourses, I find myself thinking , this should be transcribed, so should this, listening again and again we find something each time so delicious so deeply important.

This admiration is beyond fanfare or idolisation of an eloquent charismatic religious figurehead or a professional parrot mirroring fanciful speaking skills, we are being connected by your purity to the spiritual world through your association.

As you shared in your Madhavendra Puri series in 2008 :

"When people see the beautiful cover of the first canto of Bhāgavatam,

"Out of this world" their remembering! It's a small rembrance but yes it's there.

By the behaviour of the devotee in the exchange, the people are also becoming conscious of the spritual world...

So we want devotees to become so Krsna conscious that indeed you can convey the spiritual world to others.

Then they'll trust you. They'll appreciate so much

Isn't that goal worth striving for?

To be able to convey the spiritual world to others...

So we want you to become so Krsna conscious enough so that people will aspire for the spiritual world."

....

Your every word shared is replete with full scope to reinstate the wayward living entity in his constitutional position as an eternal servant of Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

'Then in the kirtan, with the devotees, one will realise his original identity in a specific rasa with Kṛṣṇa...'

"The Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra enters your heart, and causes the lotus flower of your loving relationship with Kṛṣṇa to sprout, become known to you."

But as you once said to me in a mood of divine concern:

"Your not listening, YOUR NOT LISTENING! "

Your every word spoken is completely able to vanquish the consequences of innumerable sinful lifetimes of defiant misbehaviour of every soul in this universe.

Again with regret,

I'm not listening, hence I'm unstable irresolute and burdened by countless lifetimes of frightening karma waiting to swoop down and sweep me away like a foolish bystander unaware of a precarious situation about to emerge.

Your every word is purely offered to Srila Prabhupada's mission, they are accepted and relished by him and therefore your every word is purely offered to and relished by Mahāprabhu Himself...

As Mahāprabhu said of Kholaveca Sridhara - his every spoken word was relished by Mahāprabhu as if he were offering Him beautiful prayers.

Your every word has full revolutionary power to not only halt abuses of the Cows, Brahmana's, Women, Children and the Elderly but to completely snuff out all perverse, corrupt, malefic behaviour individually, globally but indeed all over the three worlds.

Your every word spoken has already been spoken by Srila Prabhupada and your predecessor Acarya's but in service of the paramapara your speech is also highly infused with the association and power of the living parampara.

As you kindly revealed in one lecture on 30.1.2013 in ISKCON Chowpatty:

"Two nights ago I had this dream of Prabhupada and oh ...

He said something, and I, immediately I wrote it down, I looked at it and to my understanding I memorised it, then I crumpled the paper up and I you know, I threw it away...

Oh ! Prabhupada got on my case! (Laughter)

"You simply want to satisfy your own curiousity "...

in other words, your not passing it on to others.

( Laughter )

Then I understood, he was reminding me , what I thought were my ideas were coming from him!

And , So I should take them more seriously.

They are not my ideas , they are the inspiration coming through parampara. And so I shouldn't just treat them like their my ideas, I should be very careful about all these gems...

and should not simply try to satisfy my own intelligence with the questions being answered or the brilliance of the ideas.

I should make sure that others benefit from the brilliance of our Guru parampara....

So I was very thankful for such a transcendental reminder that the various ideas that may come, that I'm not always the source. And so I should remember that and carefully utilise such ideas."

....

This most profound revelation of your significant, dynamic, ongoing, living and interactive relationship with Srila Prabhupada and the Parampara is so so deep it is beyond my ineligible mind to fathom.

Nonetheless, your every word continues to benefit me and countless others. I am feeling obliged to assist in sharing these precious and treasured words with others.

Will we be ever able to repeat even a pinch of the fathomless oceanic brilliance that your treasure laden words possess?

Srila Prabhupada shares that it is not possible but nonetheless acceptable to try :

This glorification of the Lord is not a product of research, but the result of hearing submissively from the authority of the spiritual master. It is also not possible to repeat all that one has heard from his spiritual master, but one can narrate as far as possible by one's honest endeavor. It does not matter whether the Lord's glories are fully explained or not. (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.6.36 purport)

Dear Gurudeva,

I beg to always urgently yearn to hear from you and in some small way to share these treasures as far and as wide as possible.

Although I have never surrendered, heard submissively nor applied myself zealously to anything you have said, I feel incredibly blessed to uphold your words as my primary object of worship in this bizzare and strange world.

Betrayal, confusion and blatant lies are swelling like the pre-fashioned, fabricated flash floods of the demons.

Your words are completely trustworthy because of your unflinching loyalty to Srila Prabhupada. Whereas some contemporary Vaisnava's opt for conclusions previous Acarya's offer, Your loyalty to Srila Prabhupada's words shines forth ! As you proudly state :

' Srila Prabhupada said ... and that is enough, that is perfect for me.'

Your words can transport me to the spiritual world , But, when will that day be mine when I actually listen?

One of the first times you mercifully corrected me you said " Your not listening "... YOUR NOT LISTENING!

Although this instructive raising of your concerned voice for my and others protection was partially heard all those years ago, it's now more deeply applicable today.

I am begging for the strength to transit from:

"Your not listening"

To, one fortunate day when you may say like you did to Ramadas and others:

"I enjoy reporting your preaching work to Srila Prabhupada "

I thank you sincerely for all that you have shared with me via all your mysterious and hidden in plain sight statements which have granted wonder and illumination on my journey from a hissing snake to whatever you and Sri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu want of me.

Your fallen, cripple minded and selfish son and servant.

Bāla Gopāla dāsa








...

Dear Gurudeva, my spiritual master and father,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to you on this auspicious day. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Please accept my sincere gratitude to you for giving me this sublime process of Bhakti. Under your magnanimous shelter, I feel safe and happy amidst the blazing fire of material existence. To reciprocate with your fatherly love and care, my life mission is to extend that shelter to others by cooking them nice prasad, giving them genuine spiritual knowledge and friendship, and bringing them to your lotus feet.

You said that the mercy of the Guru is in the devotional service that is given to us, and the flood of devotional service is the flood of love of Godhead. By daily engaging in serving the Lord through serving you and your mission, my life is complete. There is nothing more I need.

Thank you for allowing me to render some small but important service to you, and to assist your global mission and the parampara.

“[Nanda and the other cowherds said:] May our mental functions always take shelter of Krishna’s lotus feet, May our words always chant His names, and May our bodies always bow down to Him and serve Him.”

SB 10.47.66

With a drop of such simplicity and purity of the cowherd boys in Vrindavan, I pray to you for unshakeable faith and spiritual strength to always engage my body, mind and speech in serving you, the Lord’s dear devotee. If you desire, please kindly bless me with unflinching and exclusive faith in devotional service.

This life is of no use if not engaged in devotional service, and it is only through the spiritual master that I may be engaged in devotional service. Therefore, please accept my life and eternally engage me in devotional service.

All glories to your auspicious appearance, dear Gurudeva.

Your servant of your servants, your spiritual son,
Balarāma Ācaryā dasa

Gurudeva,

Please accept hy humble obseisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All gloris to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.


I feel very grateful to be amongst these amazing devotees who are serving you.

In a Podcast titled, The Great Secret - How to Handle Fire of Desire, almost 9 years ago;

“This is a secret that no ones to knows. Desires cannot be satisfied.
Everything is measured as per economics - Economics means organised material desiers that will never be fulfilled”

Fire of desire can be stopped only by purifying senses through devotional service. The Maha Mantra extinguishes the blazing fire of material desires.

Reason for bringing up this is because recently I had the opportunity to work along 1100 real estate tycoons from India. They had come to Australia for a 3 day- conference, which required months of planning to ensure the success of the event.
Their desire was to ensure they have the best time while in Australia surrounded by alcohols and casino.

This gave a glimpse of how elaborate arrangements are made to fulfil their DESIRES and they continue doing the same, upon returning to India.

I feel very fortunate to be sheltered under your guidance and learning to develop spiritual desires.

In Bhagavad Gita 3.21

yad yad acarati sresthas
tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate

"Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues."

(purport) Therefore, a teacher must follow the principles of sastra (scripture) to reach the common man. The teacher cannot manufacture rules against the principles of revealed scriptures. The revealed scriptures, like Manu-samhita and similar others, are considered the standard books to be followed by human society. Thus the leader's teaching should be based on the principles of the standard rules as they are practiced by the great teachers."

I am a common man and feel foturnate to come in contact with you and pray that I am always following you.

In your Vyapa Puja Offering to Srila Prabhupada in 2012;
"How is it that I am chanting Hare Krishna more and still loving it more, with each passing day? Why is it that for almost forty years I’ve read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and especially Śrī Caitanyacaritāmṛta over and over, and still I think I’ve barely touched their depths?”

What kind of hankering is it that one begs for intelligence from the Super-soul to better serve anyway He desires?

I pray to you and hope I can develop the similar understanding towards chanting and reading.

your servant,
Bhagavat-Katha dasa

Namo om Vishnu padayaya Krishna pastalya bhutakle Shrimate devamrita-swamin iti namine

Pracare-purva-daksyam-ca bhaktacara-pravinata Pararthathapi-karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah


Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet on your divine appearance day.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to you Gurudev.

On this auspicious appearance day, I wish to thank you and show our gratitude for giving me shelter at your lotus feet.
mukam karoti vachalam
pangum langhayate girim
yat-kripa tam aham vande
shri-gurum dina-taranam

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of the fallen souls. His mercy turns dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains.” In the same way, by your guidance and mentorship, I came to know the real purpose of my life – to eternally serve Lord Krishna and His devotees.
Without your mentoring, my life was like rowing a boat with dysfunctional radars. I was aiming for material opulences and working for things that were not eternally going to be with me. It was you who instructed me that the one thing that will remain eternally to my credit is the chanting of the holy names.
Dear Gurudev, once in Melbourne, I heard from a senior devotee and disciple of Srila Prabhupada that when they stayed in the next room to you during an organized event, they overheard you constantly chanting the holy names. I also heard from the devotees in Melbourne about your strict and disciplined daily morning routine during your visits.
Srila Gurudev, on this auspicious day, I beg you to please bestow your mercy upon me so that I can prioritize my chanting every day in brahma muhurta and do 16 rounds of Maha mantra in one sitting during the brahma muhurta.
As per SB 11.3.21:
tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam
तस्माद् गुरुं प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासु: श्रेय उत्तमम् ।
शाब्दे परे च निष्णातं ब्रह्मण्युपशमाश्रयम् ॥
“Therefore, any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.”
Srila Gurudev, you are the personification of the above words. You have realised the scriptures and in fact you have compiled many of the volumes of Srimad Bhagwatam.
Once again wish you a very happy krishna conscious appearance day. May Sri Sri Gaura Nitai give you great health and wellness and you may continue your fitness regime by lord’s mercy.

Aspiring to be your humble servant,
Bhajnamrit Das

Hare Krsna Gurudeva
Please Accept My Humble Obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Having only recently come under your wing, I ponder now and then, how did I end up here all of a sudden and who is this character that has intrigued me so. Who has bridged my interest in the divine, and brought about reprieve for my weary heart. Seemingly a formidable figure. I find myself drawing parallels with that of the starship captains hailing from the substantially televised aspect of my education. Roles thereof filled only by a small handful of the most extraordinary individuals, expected to lead with conviction, face adversity with confidence; entrusted with the lives and destinies of their crew, they are tasked with inspiring them to reach beyond the stars.

I do not correlate to flatter, for me it is simply what comes to mind when I find myself pondering why I sought the dust of your feet at this junction of my life. As for how I got here, more and more it seems only through divine guidance, in any case I am most grateful.

So, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience in my progress, and for being such an inspiration, to myself and to those precious souls around me. I truly hope to see where this starship takes us all, and that, Krishna willing, I may contribute in some small way to ease your load.
Your aspiring ensign
Bhakta Arthur

Dearest Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I offer my deepest gratitude for your transformative guidance and encouragement. Your teachings have illuminated my spiritual path and empowered me to live a more meaningful, Krishna-conscious life. I am forever thankful for the wisdom and compassion you continue to share, guiding me closer to our eternal connection with the Lord. Your influence has been life-changing, and I feel truly blessed to be in your association.

Hare Krishna!

Your aspiring disciple,
Bhakta Daniel

Hare Krishna to you dear Gurudev,
Please accept my respectful obeisances onto your divine lotus feet,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your devine appearance day.
Gurudev you are like a transcendental cloud formed from the ocean of divine compassion of his divine grace AC Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada from where you have gathered all the compassion from Srila Prabhupada just like a cloud gathers water from the ocean.
As the clouds appears from the ocean and distribute water all over the world and that return to the ocean , by the grace of Srila Prabhupada you have attained compassion now distributing all over the world and planting seeds of Bhakti.
Gurudev,during your visit to Adelaide on 17th October 2023 we had a darshan at 2:30 pm in Gauararanya prabhu’s house, our interaction was brief yet the kindness and compassion you showed on us is unforgettable. We have heard devotees saying that by seeing Srila Prabhupada or meeting once with Srila Prabhupada they were inspired to start chanting and became devotees. We have seen the same quality in you Gurudev, with one interaction my friends have started increasing their rounds coming to mangala aarthi left onion garlic and following 4 regulative principles very strictly and actively participating in the monthly San kirtan festival. Prabhu has already distributed 2 Srimad Bhagavatam sets, 1 Lilamrita set and many of Prabhupada’s books.
Gurudev, the quality which impressed me most is how you take time to listen to each devotees concerns and provide them with the tailor-made solutions for the devotees.
Gurudev, you always have time for the devotees whether during the retreat or during your busy schedule of preaching, the fatherly affection you show during this personal darshans is amazing.
After your visit we really got energised and we started monthly sankirtan festival with the help of HG Gopa Vrndesh prabhu and HG Sevya Bhagavan prabhu where we distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books at Rundle Mall in Adelaide for three hours on Sunday morning from 10 am to 1pm . We have great support from the temple management for implementing new ideas in book distribution. We have started two Srila Prabhupada books reading circles where we read Srila Prabhupada books for one hour with the new people.
Gurudev your explanation of Krishna conscious philosophy is truly interesting and the words you choose to deliver are impeccable. In recent lecture you have mentioned that for a devotee the chanting of holy name should be a lifelong career. Gurudev, please shower your devine mercy and blessings so that i can continue to follow your guidance in fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s mission, serving devotees and make chanting Hare Krishna as my lifelong career.
Gurudev, I’m completely dependent on you, please accept as your disciple, please guide me, and bless me so that I can follow your instructions until my last breath.

Aspiring to be your worthy servant,
Bhakta Girish

Dear Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
On this most auspicious day of your appearance, I offer my heartfelt gratitude. Though I don’t like to speak about my journey, it serves to highlight the immense value of your service to all of us, which I am slowly learning to cherish more deeply.
Before meeting your devotees, I was lost in the burning fire of material life, shackled by severe sickness. Still I thought I learned my lesson and became convinced that I could find fulfillment through love and detachment. But I was still yearning for answers, still alone, and unknowingly, I was searching for something higher. When I arrived in New Zealand, one of your dear disciples, Vishnu Tejas, handed me Hiding in Unnatural Happiness and welcomed me to Bhakti Lounge. This meeting was the beginning of a transformative journey, one that led me to you and the teachings of bhakti.

Meeting you for the first time at Muni Cari's apartment (Oct 22), even briefly, left a lasting impression, which would help me later to stick to the path. Your wisdom, gravity, and peace were unlike anything I had ever expierienced, and I began to understand a 1000st percent of depth of your knowledge and mercy. Through your disciples and the preaching strategies you’ve developed in New Zealand with focus on western people, I was gradually drawn deeper into Krishna consciousness. (I just understood this a little more now, listening to your five part workshop on how you set up the Bhakti Lounge and the Loft, eg. nice tables and chairs instead of sitting on the marble floor etc. Make it easy. Revolutionary!)
You must have taken so much Gegenwind (headwind) upon you... How selfless.

It was at the Recharge Festival 22/23 that I experienced a profound shift. Your personal guidance cut through my misconceptions with precision, revealing the very obstacles I hadn’t acknowledged. You hit the nail right on the spot – inconceivable.
That moment, enwrapped with your devotees' expertise and association and love, strengthened my faith and gave me clarity about the path forward.
Your indestructable dedication to nurturing devotees like me, especially through PKA, has been a lifeline so far. You’ve made the seemingly inaccessible knowledge of bhakti reachable, guiding us to the highest realization: by learning who we are and how to serve Krishna, we truly learn how to love in this world, and in our eternal home.
Without your expert care and innovative approach, I would never have found my place in bhakti, I would never get a chance to leave this burning fire and go to eternal bliss and happiness.
Your vision, rooted in the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, continues to inspire me and so many others. I am deeply fortunate to have the shelter of your guidance, and I pray to serve you and this mission at some point with sincerity and gratitude.

I am eternally in debt to you. Thank you.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhakta Kai

Dear Srila Gurudev,



Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!



As Srila Prabhupada says in his dialogue between himself and a peace worker called Bob Cohen, “A guru is a representative of God.” I feel that you spread His glories just as a representative would. Prabhupada also goes on to state 3 points on the symptoms of a guru.

1.He should come from an authorized disciplic succession.

2.He should have heard of the Vedas thoroughly from his guru.

3.He should be a pure devotee.

I feel that you fill all these criteria completely, if not more.


Recently, when me and my family had come for your Darsana, I had shown you my copywriting book which was handwritten from your book, Hiding in Unnatural Happiness. You had taken a look at it and said that my handwriting was clear and clean. This comment made me feel really happy from inside. You had also shown me a mistake in my writing relating to the copying itself. These two incidences show your grandfatherly affection for me. I feel truly lucky to have you as my spiritual grandfather and well-wisher. During that same Darsana, you had told my parents that the Krishna conscious life inside home should be strong. I feel that I have taken these words seriously and I have started chanting 7 rounds daily and helping my father dressing my family’s Gaura-Nitai deities.

I feel that without you, I could have been a deranged tween in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. In fact, if you were not there, my father would not have been initiated and I would not even have been born! You are like the life buoy which I am struggling to hold on to, the savior that is helping me from drowning into the ocean of the material world.



Please bless me so I can continue to hold on as hard as I can to your transcendental buoy, even though Maya-devi is prying my fingers off one by one.



Your insignificant servant,

Bhakta Narottam

Dear Devamrita Maharaja

Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Your visits to our temple, over the past two years, have deeply inspired me to delve deeper, from the very surface, into the depths of the bottomless ocean of Bhakti. Whilst you have graced us with your presence, the thunderous kirtans, gripping pastime descriptions & instructive darshans have been a major source of spiritual enlivenment. Your words are the flashes of lightning, illuminating the path forward in devotional service. I would like to thank you, from the core of my heart, for giving such an unqualified soul as I the opportunity to learn from & serve you in some way. I pray that I may one day become a qualified servant of the servants under your guidance.

Your aspiring disciple
Bhakta Peter

Dear Your Holiness Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obeisances and all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I have no words to express my gratitude for saving me. I have realized that i am nothing without your mercy. I am nothing without the mercy of the devotees. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever realize how much of a fool I am. However, your compassion inspires me and the Nandini ashram training will be the foundation for everything that I do. I don’t know if i ever will be worthy of being your disciple, but your unconditional love heals me. I pray that I get a taste of your holy name so that I can always be of service to you.

Thank you very much.

Your aspiring aspiring aspiring servant
Rebeca

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

As I reflect on the years of practicing Krishna Consciousness, my heart overflows with gratitude for the many ways you have patiently nurtured me in my spiritual journey. I am especially grateful for the time I spent in the Brahmacharini Ashram.

Recently, I was listening to a lecture by Daivi Shakti Mataji, where she quoted Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on the Brahmacharini Ashram. I was fortunate to experience firsthand the emphasis Prabhupada placed on cleanliness, engaging in book distribution, and the importance of women maintaining themselves independently through outreach.

This was another moment of realization for me—hearing Prabhupada's desires and instructions, and recognizing that I have been a direct beneficiary of them. But more than that, it also made me realize how much you worked to make this environment a reality, including inspiring and guiding devotees to make it happen.

Because of your vision and encouragement, women like myself have had the opportunity to serve in this meaningful way.  After hearing Daivi Shakti Mataji's talk, I realized without us even knowing, you followed every detail of Prabhupada’s instructions, creating the perfect environment for the girls to give maximum pleasure to both Prabhupada and Krishna. And then, even going above and beyond, again following Prabhupada, you help us to transition and guide us in grihastha ashram.

Without this shelter, we see how many women today are misled and going through so many hardships. You saved me Gurudeva.

Your example has shown us how to follow Prabhupada practically, and I am forever indebted to you for allowing me this chance.

I eagerly beg for your ongoing guidance and to always remain under your shelter.

Your servant,
Bhakti-lata Devi Dasi

nama oṁ viṣnu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine

pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ


Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.


Perceiving this world seems to be a straightforward thing because we have full faith on our sensory perception. But our observation depends on the state of our consciousness. In general people look at the world with an intention of enjoying it. They assume whatever they desire will be somehow provided. That is the reason most people in the world are startled to see the outbreak of a war or a pandemic.

But what is the viewpoint of a spiritually realised person? “We shouldn’t be surprised to see a war, we should be surprised to see peace in this prison like material world and that too when the age of Kali is rampant.”

From Srimad Bhagavatam we can see the plight of mother Earth. There is nothing more sinful than untruthfulness. Because of this, mother Earth once said, "I can bear any heavy thing except a person who is a liar.” Once when mother earth was overburdened by hundreds of thousands of military phalanxes of various conceited demons dressed like kings, she approached Lord Brahmā for relief. On demigods’ plea Krishna appeared and traversed Earth’s surface and she felt ecstatic. When Krishna disappeared, she again suffered in separation - “Who, therefore, can tolerate the pangs of separation from that Supreme Personality of Godhead?”

We also hear of the plight of mother Ganga. “O King, I do not wish to go down to the planet earth, for there the people in general will bathe in my water to cleanse themselves of the reactions of their sinful deeds. When all these sinful reactions accumulate in me, how shall I become free from them? You must consider this very carefully.”

We can also see the situation of Dharma & Jnana in Kali Yuga. When Lord Kṛṣṇa departed to His own abode, He was accompanied by Dharma, Jnana and all auspicious qualities. People have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the Age of Kali.

After observing this morbid situation one may ask - Why is this planet not tattering into pieces? Why is there peace, even seemingly, in so many places for so many moments? What is this preserving or conserving potency?

This happens because Krishna always arranges His presence in so many ways including the presence of His empowered representatives like you Gurudeva.

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās
tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho
tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni
svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā

“My lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage.”

People around the world are protesting hopelessly to promote green activities to deal with drastic climate change. Meanwhile, you are travelling all around the planet dealing with the root cause of the problem - the pollution within the heart. Saffron dust emanating from your mouth in the form of glorification of Krishna is the correct medicine for polluted hearts. This is the only hope for the Kali Yuga addicts like me.

tasya tvaṁ tamaso 'ndhasya
duṣpārasyādya pāragam
sac-cakṣur janmanām ante
labdhaṁ me tvad-anugrahāt

“Your lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because you are my transcendental eye, which, by your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births.”

I am unable to follow your footsteps because this attempt is like that of a fly trying to follow the path of Garuda. But still I shamelessly continue to make such pathetic attempts. I am unable to find anything better to do. As someone has said “Aim for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”

evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe
kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt
kṛtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā bhagavan gṛhītaḥ
so 'haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje tava bhṛtya-sevām

“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 Nārada 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?”

Gurudeva please forgive me for the offences I have committed in serving you and always bestow your causeless mercy upon me.



Aspiring to be your humble servant
Bhakti-sara Dasa

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please humble obeisances.
All Glory to Srila Prabhupada.

On this very auspicious day, I wish you good health.

We both are fortunate to have our birth in a family that is practicing KC while I understand it because of our limitations, we fail to appreciate the good opportunity we got to lead a meaningful life.

I still remember our meeting few months a ago in Wada Farm. I'm so moved by your love and care for our family.

Please bless us so that we develop the taste to practice KC and be able to serve you in some small ways.

UPDATES: I want to share some good news. I got admission to PICT (Pune Institute of Computer Technology) in Computer Engineering. Vraj is happy with his football and sketching.



Aspiring to be your servant,
Ananya, Vraj Dham
(Pune)

Dear Gurudeva,

On this auspicious occasion of your appearance day ,I offer my respectful obeisances unto your divine lotus feet . All glories to you Gurudeva. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

From the very first moment I met you, I felt your merciful protection and care. Thank you for giving shelter and the opportunity to serve you. Your kindness and gentle guidance is deeply treasured.

I pray for your blessings and being engaged in your service.


Your aspiring servant
Bhaktin Subhadra

Dear Gurudeva,

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

You are for so many of us our North Star. Our direction for when we are lost. We simply have to think of you, remember the teachings you give and the simple but deep instructions you impart for our life to get back on track & fill us with a loving warmth.

You are truly selfless in all your actions, teaching truth with grace, joyfully spreading Krishna Consciousness with loving affection to all that you meet, and even more so for those who are intrigued by Bhakti. You have this ability you plant the seed of Bhakti in our hearts, water the seed and nurture it into a blossoming tree. You live by the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and you so generously lift so many of us out of the ocean of material life. You clearly have so much love and affection for your disciples, we are your children and you our father.

I appreciate how you constantly reference your spiritual teacher and our eternal spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. You speak with such depth, feeling and love when speaking about his past times. I love to see you smile and laugh when teaching us about Krishna, you invite us into this world of Krishna Consciousness that we aspire for, that Krishna Consciousness can be really fun.

Truthfully I could listen and watch you all day talk about Krishna, his teachings and his representatives. Its an elixir for the soul.

Thank you for guiding me through the storm of material life and constantly showing me love that I don’t deserve. Teaching me that the most important thing and the success to Bhakti comes from chanting the holy names of Krishna.

Yours Always

Bhauma Vrindavan Das

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeienceis.
All glories to Srila Prabupada.
All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance.

Recently in a class at bhakti lounge you were discussing how in ancient times people would mull over and systematically identify and discard what is absolute reality, neti neti, not this not that. You said nowadays we often don’t have that thinking capacity, in fact, we are not even bothered, we don’t think it has any relevance to our lives, but we just go along experiencing and experimenting with life, trying this, trying that, negating one materialistic experience after another, not this, not that. Our modern version of neti neti. Nothing works, nothing satisfies. This deadly mixture of kali yuga hedonism, laziness, frustration, mixed with a heavy dose of the weapon of mass distraction, our constant friend and guide the internet, the anaesthetic to our situation, leads us to this dangerous degraded current situation and the bigger picture, the repeated cycle of samsara.

You have sastra caksus, you see everything through the eyes of sastra, but you also have the ability to translate it into the language of your audience, pitching your talks at the perfect level regardless of whether it’s an academic university audience at IIT, western yogis with pop mayavadi philosophy or seasoned bhakti practitioners looking for deep spiritual nourishment. In your book Bhakti Bhava you wrote, Material life means the faulty expression of our love urge properly meant for Krishna and later on you explain, Sorry, but the material world is not the place where the love urge can flow properly, hence our glob of insecurities acquired from many births. You clearly see the problem and you artfully explain the solution, that investing our heart energies as the servant of Krishna is the only thing that will satisfy us and be the solution to life’s ultimate problem.

Thank you for being a shining example of investing your heart energies as a servant of Krishna, tirelessly you go on faithfully serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission, decade after decade. Thank you for rescuing me, thank you for translating Krishna Bhakti in a way that I could understand and engaging me in devotional service. Praying to replay a little of this great debt somehow.

Your aspiring servant, Bhava Sandhi dd

Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I am very much inspired by your compassion for the local people of the Western world. While most devotees are satisfied with preaching to the low-hanging fruits from India and its neighbors, you bravely and boldly are going against the general trend and pushing on Western outreach, in fulfilling the desires of our Parampara. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted Bhakti to go to everyone, not only to those from India. Understanding the mood of our previous acharyas and out of your own boundless compassion you so tirelessly and patiently have been pushing on Western outreach year after year, despite the challenges. When I look around the world and see so many sincere and fired up Western devotees that you have made, I feel so proud to have such an amazing spiritual master!

Recently I found a nice photo of you in Gita Nagari, with cows in the background and your lotus feet visible. I saved it on my phone as the wallpaper of my home screen. Sometimes when I open my phone and see you looking straight at me, I feel scared, and my eyes immediately drop down to your lotus feet. Seeing you, reminds me of the grave responsibility that I have as a disciple to follow your instructions. I have found that it's easier to be Krishna Consciousness by being conscious of you. By seeing you, and remembering all the instructions from your lectures, I’m forced to be Krishna conscious.

Before I start book distribution I’m now looking at that photo of you on my phone. Taking darshan of your lotus feet I offer a prayer, and then mentally taking the dust from your lotus feet, putting it on my head, I then start my book distribution. I understand that all the thousands of books that I have distributed over the years is simply due to the inspiration and empowerment coming from you. I have tried to pass the same inspiration gathered from you, down to the new brahmacaris and they have all together now also distributed thousands of books on the streets of Sydney. Recently when I was distributing books in the city close to Sydney University with Bhakta Edward, books were going slow compared to usual. I then stopped and prayed to you for empowerment, remembering a line of your pranam mantra “pracare purva daksam ca”, that you are very expert in preaching. After praying to you, I stopped to take lunch. Straight after lunch I met a western student from Sydney University who said he always wanted to learn Sanskrit. I showed him Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1 and he donated $100 for the one book. Then when I was offering him a few more books he gave me another $50. After that books started flying, and I ended up distributing 6 times more books than before lunch. The power of praying to your lotus feet Gurudev.

Often, just before going to sleep, I look at that photo of you on my phone and report to you what I did for Sri Sri Radha Gopinath during the day and then sometimes share what I read in Srila Prabhupada’s books. I feel that being conscious of you is definitely helping me be more Krsna Conscious.

Recently I got a new service to help with the fundraising for the Temple Rebuild Project of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath. I remembered how you often quote in class that “all services expand from our japa”. During my morning japa, I then started to really focus on chanting attentively, and praying to Sri Sri Radha Gopianth to please give me intelligence in how to do this new service, and begged for empowerment to get some results in fundraising for the pleasure of my authority in Sydney. By following your instruction of focusing on chanting, I have found Radha Gopinath reciprocating, by guiding me and helping me to get a lot of results over the last 2 months in fundraising. With the help of the junior brahmacaris, we have been getting great success in signing up many new people to pledge for the Temple Rebuild project.

Thank you Gurudev for everything. I am eternally indebted to you.

You are my eternal master, father and guide. And I simply desire to serve you, in your service to Srila Prabhupada, life after life.

Your servant,
Bhava-vibhusana das

nama oṁ viṣnu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine
pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

Hare Krishna Srila Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to your divine appearance day,

Even though I am unqualified to glorify you, still I am expressing my deepest gratitude, Gurudev from day one when I met you in Hare Krishna Valley retreat till today, whenever I have your darshan, my realization to surrender to Krishna becomes deeper. Through your lectures, Gurudev, I feel your constant presence around me. All of my questions are answered as I derive great satisfaction from relishing the nectar of your transcendental discourses. Gurumaharaj, on this most auspicious day, I beg at your lotus feet that I can always keep my mind focused on the words emanating from your lotus mouth, and continue to apply them in my life.

Your lectures and question-and-answer sessions give solutions to all the questions in life, Your examples of compassion, optimism, enthusiasm, love, inspiration, and happiness in Krishna Consciousness teach us, how to lead a Krishna consciousness life in this practical world.

Gurudev, it has been a true gift meeting you in this lifetime. Thank you for being a wonderful example of how to serve the Lord and Srila Prabhupada with pure love. Your enthusiasm in kirtans is infectious and has touched the hearts of many conditioned souls, and inspired us to serve together and move Srila Prabhupada's movement forward. We have a growing devotional family in Melbourne day after day which expands all over the world, and I am so grateful to be a part of it even in a small and insignificant way.

On a personal note, this year I and Sangeetha had a darshan with you Gurudev. It was the first darshan after marriage, and most of our doubts were cleared, Sangeetha started appreciating the process more than before because of the association you have built in Melbourne, and with your divine blessings, she started chanting 16 rounds from Janmashtami day, On this auspicious day we beg on to your lotus feet to always keep us in your shelter and guidance. After hearing lectures from you, One moment I(sangeetha) taught that if you will be my guru it would be so good where I can take guidance for my spiritual life.

I pray to Sri Sri Radha Vallabha, Gaura Nitai, and Jagannath Baladeva Subhadra Devi to give you good health so that you do more and more preaching programs in Melbourne and make everyone Krishna-conscious.

I pray that one day I can develop a humble mood of becoming a servant of a servant of a servant of a servant…… and please you Gurudev.

Trying to become a Humble servant
Bhishmapitamaha Das
Sangeetha

Dear Gurumaharaj,
please accept my respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet.

time and time again you have been merciful upon us all, and this is because of your compassion, we all have the greatest gift of the Guruparampara ,Bhagavadgita as it is , Srimad Bhagavatam, and Sri Caitanya caritamrita , that access has granted us with the opportunity to hear and chant the holynames of Sri Krishna, in the association of a pure devotee .

Gurumaharaj, and it is only because of you , there is the bhakti outreach programs ,and all the compatible components that make it function , book and prasadam distribution and your devotees tireless efforts to please you.

Gurumaharaj, on this special day of your Vyasapuja , I beg your mercy, to always follow your instructions, to do what is favorable and give up those things that are unfavorable to bhakti yoga.
Also I beg for the intelligence, determination, inspiration, and strength to carry on under the umbrella of lord Caitanyas Sankirtan mission.

Please accept my appreciation and gratitude.
Your eternal servant
Bhuribhoja dasa

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to you

In the last few weeks, I have been thinking about your dedication, commitment and service to Srila Prabhupada over the last 50 years. In these 50 years, you have endured many challenges, roadblocks, setbacks, let downs and criticism, but you keep serving enthusiastically and uninterrupted. I was wondering how someone can do that, what can be the motivation? It is said, commitment to your duty is a symptom of love. And then I thought it can only be because of your love for Prabhupada and his mission that you are one of his stalwart commanders.

In one of Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja offering to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaj, Prabhupada is urging his Godbrothers to come together, plan and execute the preaching mission that Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaj had desired. Prabhupada wrote: “From the seas, across the earth, penetrate the universal shell; come together and preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Gurudeva, you are fulfilling this desire of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaj. Wherever you go, you create a spiritual revolution by motivating individuals to start their Krishna conscious journey and train them to develop the mood of helping others and sharing Krishna consciousness in whatever capacity possible. When someone does this and serves Prabhupada’s mission, you are extremely pleased.

In the same offering, Srila Prabhupada writes “one who serves the message of the guru really worships him.” Your life is an epitome of worshipping your guru.

In a letter to Karandhara Prabhu, on July 27, 1973, Prabhupada wrote “A leader must be peaceful, self-controlled, austere, pure, tolerant, honest, wise, learned and religious.”

Gurudeva, you exhibit all these qualities of a leader. One time, I gave you double the dose of your vitamin C intake and when I informed you about it, you were peaceful about it, all you said was “I was wondering why I am feeling dizzy, maybe Krishna is telling me to take vitamin C myself. You also said thanks for being honest to inform you.”

From that day onwards you took the Vitamin C yourself. It also made me realise that it can be an inconvenience to let others serve you, but you are patient and tolerant.

You are very knowledgeable; everyone loves the talks you give and how you make the esoteric message so relatable and accessible to everyone. When you are giving classes, I have noticed, your Godbrothers make a special effort to come and hear from you.

One time, you mentioned in the morning that you were hungry, so I thought you were going to have extra for breakfast, but all you had was your standard breakfast of 1 avocado toast at that time. And I was thinking, that is self-control, if I was hungry, I would have really eaten. This one simple act of yours, left a big impression on me. Another time, I served you ice-cream and after you had eaten, I asked you how the ice cream was. You replied “I have not overeaten”. That also left an impression on me, because I would have overeaten.

To share the message of Krishna Consciousness in different parts of the world, you follow an austere travelling schedule. Your daily schedule is austere, from early in the morning to late in the night you are packed with service, and you have a very austere diet, just so that you can continue serving Srila Prabhupada.

And all this can be possible only if someone has genuine love for his guru.

I asked you a question once about how to be an effective preacher, and you replied, “have compassion for others”. Gurudeva, I personally don’t have any compassion, but I pray that you use me as an instrument of yours and Prabhupada’s compassion.

Seeking your blessings

Your Servant

Brahmakund dasa

Nama Om Vishnu padaya Krsna-presthaya bhutale, Srimate Devamrita Swami iti namine
Pracare purva-daksyam ca bhaktacara-pravinta, pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah
Hare Krishna dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your Vyasa Puja 2024.
Guru Maharaj, I am indebted to you for everything you have done for me in the past nearly three decades. You have always been very kind to me, especially when I had a rare turbulence in my life. And this turbulence was created by me only due to my own foolishness. Guru Maharaj, your purity with gravity enables you to deal the sensitive issues of your disciples, sensitively with full of compassion blend with the sheer intelligence.
Guru Maharaj, you have rightly and beautifully stated the famous pastime of Jada Bharat and king Rahugana from Srimad Bahgavatam in your master piece publication, ‘Perfect Escape’.
“Now Jada Bharat warns the king to remember that a conditioned entity is one who indulges in the contamination of the material enjoyment. The mind is the medium for the mistake. False happiness and distress arise from the contact of the mind and its roots with the objects manufactured by the material nature. As long as we don’t use our mind and its instruments to uncover the fire of spiritual realization, we are living within the smoke of ignorance - a very abnormal existence. Yet materialistic society seems undisturbed living in the smoke.”
Guru Maharaj you not only present ‘the present and the clear danger’ but you also provide the appropriate solution befitting in this yuga, “Therefore O king deploy the weapon of devotional service. Under the guidance of those who are not in illusion-Krishna and Krishna’s representatives-learn to serve those who are not in illusion. Take up the real career with the great care.”
Thank you, Guru Maharaj, for offering me the ‘real career’ of being a servant in the divine and revolutionary movement of His divine grace Srila Prabhupada. In spite of my countless flaws Guru Maharaj, you have always tolerated me and warned me to walk with the extra care on the devotional path.
Guru Maharaj on the most auspicious day of your Vyasa puja today, I beg at your lotus feet to kindly keep me engaged in your service and keep correcting me so that ultimately, I can get out of the smoke of ignorance in this life only.
Thank you, Guru Maharaj.
Happy Vyasa Puja day Guru Maharaj.
Always seeking your mercy,
Your fallen servant,
Buddhimanta Dasa

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to your lotus feet.

I’ve been thinking about the wonder of the parampara today. How is it possible that someone from my lowly background received the opportunity to be linked up with the glowing Vaisnava acharyas? How, by your grace, do I have the rare opportunity to be relinked with Krishna?

A link is defined as a relationship between two things or situations, especially where one affects the other.

Interestingly, an historical definition of a link is, “a torch of pitch and tow for lighting the way in dark streets.”



Both of these definitions hold true in regard to my relationship with you, Gurudeva.

One affects the other. I’m barely scratching the surface of understanding the impact you have made and continue to make in my life. Thank you for tolerating me over the years and please forgive my often lethargic and careless attitude towards carrying out your instructions.

Lighting the way in dark streets. You illuminate the way for countless lost souls in the dark streets of Kali-yuga. Without your shelter, no doubt I would still be fumbling hopelessly in the dark. Thank you for your continued guidance and affection. Your personal care for me has kept me going through thick and thin.

In a similar connection, I found a letter Srila Prabhupada wrote to Manjari, dated May 28, 1971,


“I am so glad to note that you have accepted the importance of the spiritual master for making advancement in spiritual life. Now that you have been formally initiated, you are linked up with all the great Vaishnava acharyas via the parampara system and so the effect will be there fully. By the mercy of the acharyas the path for going back home, back to Godhead has been made very easy. Simply we must rigidly follow the regulative principles of devotional life, regularly chant 16 rounds of beads daily, read all our literatures and engage in Krishna's business 24 hours. Then we will be happy and our lives will be a success.”

On this day, I pray that I may always engage in Krishna’s business. That I never give up my link to you. I beg you to please give me the spiritual strength to remain steadfast in my vows and to be ever mindful of your instructions. Please help me to make my life a success.

Your servant and spiritual daughter,
Cancala-Laksmi devi dasi

nama oṁ viṣṇu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine

pracāre pūrva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! All glories to you on this auspicious appearance day.

It's been a while since my father passed away. When he passed, I felt very vulnerable and confused about who I would be taking my guidance from. To whom can I seek shelter and share my worries? But Krishna had another plan. He removed my attachment and repositioned it at your lotus feet. Lord Krishna took away my material attachment and gave me spiritual attachment.

Since that day, my relationship with you has changed and deepened. You also stay in constant touch with me by keeping me engaged in your service. This fatherly love of yours is felt not only by me but also by my wife and both my sons.

I remember when you paid us a surprise visit at our home a few years ago and spent some time with us. You asked questions, inquired about our well-being, discussed services, etc. It felt like you have been living with us for many years and are a part of our home.

When I first met you, little did I know that your presence in my life would be so strong that I would share both my material and spiritual concerns directly with you instead of my biological father. At every moment, I can see your hands shaping my spiritual and material life.

Thank you, Gurudev, for all the love and affection that you shower on Narottam and Sudama, who, although hesitant in their early years to talk to you very openly now willingly take your guidance and mould their life according to your instructions. They see and feel the true love of a grandfather first-hand, which they could not receive from their biological grandfather.

Before I conclude my offering Gurudev, I would like to share a short story from Ramayan that resonated well with me and filled me with inspiration to serve you.

During their exile of 13 years in forest, the trio Lord Ram, Sita devi and Laxman had entered Pancavati and they needed a place to stay. Lord Ram chose a place where a cottage was to be constructed. Lakshmana worked for a few days to build the cottage. When Lord Ram and Sita devi saw the cottage they both were very pleased, and Lord Ram addressed Laxman as follows:

“My dear brother, you are bhavajna, kritajna and dharmajna. You are bhavajna because you know others’ feelings well. You have understood My heart without Me having to express it to you. This room that you have created to give Me and Sita privacy is proof of that. Your competence and skill in superlatively accomplishing anything told to you is proof that you are kritajna. Despite having built this beautiful house, you haven’t made a room for yourself within it; therefore, I say that you are dharmajna, because you know the dharma of an assistant well. In addition to having great skills and talents, you also have the knowledge of what is right and wrong”.

Dear Gurudev, please bless us on this auspicious day of your appearance so we develop the quality of Bhavajna – so we understand your mind and desires completely and thoroughly like Lakshmana.
Please bless us so we develop the quality of Kritajna – so we use our material and spiritual knowledge to carrying out instructions given by you and Srila Prabhupada.
Lastly please bless us so we develop the quality of Dharmajna – so we know our duties (dharma) as your disciples and execute them without expecting any rewards in return

We pray to Their Lordships that they may grant you more physical strength so you can remain strong and healthy and continue this mission of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya to every habitable continent of our planet.



Your servants,

Candanesvara Das
Suvarna Radhika Dasi
Narottam and Sudama

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am deeply grateful to you for helping connect me to the teachings of the Srimad Bhagavatam and inspiring many other people all around the world to take up Krishna consciousness. Your example of selfless service and dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s mission have motivated me to also share this transcendental knowledge with others.

This Vyasa Puja, I would like to present to you an idea and a project in progress for your pleasure and consideration. I have been contemplating how best to share the experience of the pastimes in the Bhagavatam with devotees and non-devotees alike, in a way that provides a visceral experience that people can discuss, remember and imbibe.

<blockquote>The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.
– Bhagavad Gita 10.9</blockquote>
The approach I’m thinking of using to achieve this is to utilise the tool of the Dungeons and Dragons tabletop role-playing game to present the Srimad Bhagavatam pastimes in a way that players can enter into the pastimes, have some agency to influence events, and ultimately experience the pastimes playing as presented in the scripture. All this taking place in the theatre of the players’ mind. Hopefully making the mind their best friend.

<blockquote>For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.
– Bhagavad Gita 6.6</blockquote>
There are several reasons I’m thinking of doing this:
<ol>
<li>First, my son and I have been playing Dungeons and Dragons, which he very much enjoys, and I’ve been getting familiar with the system and the rules. I would like to dovetail the material game in Krishna consciousness by turning it into a spiritual game. </li>
<li>Next, Dungeons and Dragons has been growing in popularity worldwide, with many Hollywood actors and actresses taking to it. Public presentations of the game even selling out Madison Square Garden in New York City. So, why not co-opt this popularity of D&amp;D by Krishna-ising it? </li>
<li>Finally, I have found that games of D&amp;D to be very memorable and leave lasting impressions on one’s memory. By utilising this, we can hopefully embed Krishna’s pastimes from the Bhagavatam into people’s consciousness and inspire continued devotional service. </li>
</ol>
How are we thinking of doing this? I have been intensely studying various pastimes of the Bhagavatam to understand the essence of the teachings they provide, as well as the stories being told. Hopefully this will help with my own purification, while also helping to serve the preaching mission. Next, I am taking these pastimes and organising them in a way that mimics an official Dungeons and Dragons adventure book, with maps, encounters, statistics, and, of course, the Bhagavatam philosophy embedded in all aspects. Finally, a number of devotees and I have been crafting Krishna conscious versions of the iconic Dungeons and Dragons character classes to be suitable for players to inhabit in the adventures.

For example:
<ul>
<li>A College of Dance Bard who inspires devotees with Bharatanatyam dancing and confuses enemies of the devotees. </li>
<li>A Cleric of the Life Domain who breathes the life of devotion into all whom they surround. </li>
<li>An Arcane Archer Fighter who takes after Arjuna and can use the power of mantra to fire mystical arrow weapons. </li>
<li>A Way of Mercy Monk who provides the mercy of the holy name to everyone they encounter. </li>
<li>An Oath of Devotion Paladin who has taken an oath of lifelong devotion to Lord Krishna. </li>
<li>A Warlock with a Celestial Patron, whose patron and well-wisher is Krishna or a devotee of Krishna. </li>
</ul>
With these characters, and with players embodying them and engaging in Krishna-conscious pastimes, I hope that non-devotees will be attracted to the Bhagavatam and perhaps even purchase a set after playing the game, and that devotees will become more immersed in their Krishna conscious experience.

Once again, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for guiding me on the path of Krishna consciousness. Your dedication to spreading this knowledge continues to inspire me. I hope this humble attempt to creatively spread Krishna consciousness meets with your favour.

Your servant,
Caṇḍīdāsa dāsa

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Nama Om Visnu- Padaya
Krsna Presthaya Bhutale
Srimate Devamrita
Swami Iti Namine
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Your mood is filled with genuine compassion and love. You strongly desire and endeavour to facilitate Lord Caitanya's mercy to reach every fallen soul. It manifests in powerful, cutting, and thought-provoking preaching. The result of this chanting which has been singing and ringing for many steady years now, is a dynamic culture of sweet, wonderful enthusiastic devotees, fully captured in Krsna seva.
I want to express my gratitude to you today for your very determined and steady effort to preach Srila Prabhupada's mission.
Thank you for truly caring for devotees and putting their needs ahead of the institution.

Thank you 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.

Thank you for tasting and illuminating the unlimited nectar ocean of Srila Prabhupada's personal ecstasies in his transcendental books.

Your recent lecture on The Happiness Puzzle was so enlightening Thank you for helping to unfold the true happiness.

While preaching, you shine with purity, enthusiasm, heart-warming humour and the deepest devotion. Your lectures have always been a treasured source of shelter, challenging my materialistic conceptions and inspiring me to become focus on 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.
May you live a long life and continue your relentless preaching efforts

Your menial servant,
Chandra Sarovar Das
Kaam Sarovar Devi Dasi

Dear Gurudev, please accept my humble obeysances at the dust of your lotus feet!
All glorious to you!
All glorious to Srila Prabhupada!
Dear Gurudev thank you so much for your mercy over all these years and opportunities to do personal service (like cooking for you)
Thank you for your very personal approach to each of your disiple including me! This is very inspiring to me and I am sure that many disiples are really appreciating it as I do!
I am very grateful to you to accepting me as your disiple and helping me in my spiritual life!
I am trying my best to hold on and continue the spiritual path you brought me on.
Thank you very much for all that and please forgive me any offenses I may commited!

Your spiritual daughter Charumukhi dd

Hare Krishna Dear Guru Maharaj!

Please accept my humble obesiances

We wait for this occasion whole year. The day your Vyasa Puja is celebrated is very special for us. Guru Maharaj, my life is full of imperfections and shortcomings. I have committed lots of offences of unto your lotus feet. I beg for your forgiveness Guru Maharaj. Please give me strength to overcome my shortcomings and eliminate the anarthas from my heart. Many many thanks for everything. As I promised you, I am pursuing my Bhakti Sastri this year and have successfully completed first book, Sri Isopnishad. I would seek your blessings for whatever services I am rendering in the Lotus Feet of Sri Sri Radha Govind Dev and Vaishnavas. I am trying to serve best of my ability and would meet the expectations of my Shiksha Guru and God Brothers and Sisters.

Wish you a very happy Vyasa Puja Guru Maharaj
Your humble servant

Chintamani Dham Devi Dasi

Dear Guru Maharaj,

On this auspicious day, I just want to say how much I appreciate you. You are very kind and compassionate and always think of helping others into their journey towards Krishna consciousness. I have heard that you prioritize your chanting everyday and set an example for others even if you have to travel very early in the morning. Your dedication to serve your Guru inspires us to take Krishna Consciousness more seriously.

I offer my deepest reverence and gratitude for your guidance in our lives.

Your servant,
Cinmayi Radha
Daughter of Shashi Bhushan (Melbourne)

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this very special day of your appearance.

Thank you Gurudeva, thank you for all that you have done for me and given me. Your mercy is boundless. You tirelessly travel giving your time and association so generously.

Only if I could get a glimpse of the vision of how you see this material world, I could take more advantage of the rare opportunity that you have given me.

Vidura says to Maitreya in SB 3.7.18:

<i>“But, my dear sir, I am obliged to you because now I can understand that this material manifestation is without substance, although it appears real. I am confident that by serving your feet it will be possible for me to give up the false idea.” </i>

I hope that I am able to serve you. For I am confident that if I cling to serving you and your instructions, one day I will be able to see this world as it is.
Gurudeva, I beg for the strength and spiritual intelligence to be able to stay in the association of devotees and do some service for your pleasure.

Your aspiring servant and daughter
Citta Mohini devi dasi

My humble obeisance glories to Prabhupada and Guru


BG 14 22-25
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O son of Pāṇḍu, he who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; who treats alike both friend and enemy; and who has renounced all material activities – such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature.

Thinking about this verse in your position and for a devotee it is very disheartening and sad for a you to see decipels fall away from the mode of goodness as you have spoke time and time again about cultivating goodness
among devotees. I witnessed your expertise when guiding devotees into goodness with their talents and gifts. Woodworking is something I never thought would be something that would be encouraged to pursue further until you asked if I am getting to point where I can build altars and Vyasasans. In my case I will do my best to attend Mangala Arti and my readings.

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All glories to you,

When I think of you Gurudeva I think of Srimad-Bhagavatam. How you relish it. How you are always absorbed in it. How you live it. And how you preach it all over the world.

When I think of you Gurudeva I think of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. You are always hearing Mahaprabhu's lilas and speaking them to others.

When I think of you Gurudeva I think of Srila Prabhupada. You are so dedicated to Srila Prabhupada. You have risked everything to serve him. You've given your life wholeheartedly to him.

When I think of you Gurudeva I think of japa. You love chanting Hare Krsna and you share that taste with all who are willing to receive it. "Why only 16 rounds?" you tell us and declare that you don't want to stop chanting.

When I think of you Gurudeva I think of kirtana. You are ecstatic in congregational chanting of Krsna's names and you encourage us to also chant with great enthusiasm and energy.

Therefore when I think of you Gurudeva I can't help but remember Krsna. Thus you are certainly a topmost devotee of Sri Govinda.

Thank you for being such a divine stimulant for krsna-smaranam.

Your servant,
Damodara Krsna dasa.

Nama Om Visnu Padaya
Krsna-presthaya Bhutale
Srimate Devamrta Swami
Iti namine

I offer my respectful obeisances to Srimati Devamrta Swami who is very dear to Lord Krsna on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

Pracare purva-daksyam ca
Bhaktacara-pravinata
Pararthatapi karunyam
Yasya sarve ca te namah

Obeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching, competence in Vaisnava dealings, selflessness and compassion.

Dear Gurumaharaja,

In a letter to Bhutatma Das (December 5th 1971) Srila Prabhupada wrote:

“Now upon the shoulders of you the leaders of this Movement falls the responsibility of practically saving this earth planet from the present dangerous position. So the work is in your hands.”

This ‘present dangerous position’ can be tangibly observed as the individual and collective human experience not being tethered to any guiding transcendent reality. The resulting effects: no understanding of the past, no understanding of the future and no situational awareness of their present conscious experience.

As you mention in your brillant book Searching for Vedic India:

“A linear notion of progress has dominated Western thinking for the past two hundred years. Our embracing this concept has led to an almost unshakeable faith that-in spite of problems-the modern world has been a much better place to live in than anything preceding it.

Statistics contradict this dream. They expose the twentieth century as the most violent century in known human history. Indeed, three times more people died in wars of the twentieth century than in the entire history of warfare between A.D. 1 and 1899. Will the new century soon suffer a nuclear or chemical brawl that breaks the record again?

Somehow-in some way-things are better,” members of developed nations have struggled to remind one another. Yet more than a few sociologists and psychologists- all with no solution-have warned that the human core of modern society has thoroughly rusted, beset by inner emptiness, existential uncertainty, and cosmic dislocation.”

In a recent discourse you made a point that devotees need to embrace the notion of being ‘my brothers keeper’ -or doing life with empathy towards our fellow humans (even when it's not convenient) and thinking more of others well being than you do about yourself. This caring spirit was found within the sages of Naimasaranya at the start of Kali Yuga who were engaging in a prolonged 1000 year yajna to counteract the miserable and degrading effects of the age in a mood of, empathy, compassion and concern for the future coming generations.

As Srila Prabhupada mentions in his purport to SB 1.1.4:

“The great sages are always anxious to do good to the people in general, and as such the sages headed by Śaunaka and others assembled at this holy place of Naimiṣāraṇya with a program of performing a great and continuous chain of sacrificial ceremonies. Forgetful men do not know the right path for peace and prosperity. However, the sages know it well, and therefore for the good of all men they are always anxious to perform acts which may bring about peace in the world. They are sincere friends to all living entities, and at the risk of great personal inconvenience they are always engaged in the service of the Lord for the good of all people. Lord Viṣṇu is just like a great tree, and all others, including the demigods, men, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Vidyādharas and other living entities, are like branches, twigs and leaves of that tree. By pouring water on the root of the tree, all the parts of the tree are automatically nourished. Only those branches and leaves which are detached cannot be so satisfied. Detached branches and leaves dry up gradually despite all watering attempts. Similarly, human society, when it is detached from the Personality of Godhead like detached branches and leaves, is not capable of being watered, and one attempting to do so is simply wasting his energy and resources.”

We can see from the example of your life that you imbibe this same sagacious empathy and caring mood towards the unconscious outcasts of Kali yuga. With anecdotes you sometimes share about your earlier life this has been a theme throughout your earthly sojourn. During your university days you wanted to find a solution to ‘solve all problems for humanity.’ Your Yale university professors were happy to facilitate your search (and of course report back to them once you had found the solution!). Your research eventually led to the discovery of the bhakti texts authored by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and the realisation that you had indeed found the solution to all the problems of humanity.

You now share this message all around the world are a living example of a modern sage who is truly his brother’s keeper.


Your aspiring servant
Dandakaranya das

Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my sincere obeisances at your beautiful, lotus-like feet. All glories to you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!


As I reflect on the first time I met you and the 12 adventurous years that have ensued since then, I am feeling grateful. Grateful to you. Grateful to your God brothers and your disciples who encouraged me to take shelter of you. And ultimately I’m grateful to Krishna. As stated in the Caitainya Caritamrita

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

“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 Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.
You have truly been the mercy incarnation of the Lord in my life; keeping me progressing on this path like an oxen being directed by the ring in its nose.

I can see how important the spiritual master is in one’s life. We may think we are advanced, but the relationship with our Guru and our willingness to follow his orders shows us how surrendered we are to Krsna. For me it is like a constant tug of war between following the order of my spiritual master and following my mind. Today I would like to pray that my mind release this rope once and for all and that my spiritual master does a victory lap with the rope and my heart.

Where would I be without your mercy. Today I am fortunate to look around and see trees, cows, and wonderful, kind hearted devotees. But most people aren’t so fortunate. Many of my past friends and associates became addicted to drugs, some even having their lives taken by such indulgences. Alcohol, parties, jail, homeless, debilitating mental health; what would my life have turned out like? I truly think that my life would have been hell at every moment- victimized by the hazardous chaos that we call 2024. This bhakti life, however, has been a like a delightful dream, one which I hope I will never wake up from.

Now I have a chance to do the highest good for myself and all my fellow earthly inhabitants. As the Bhagavatam tells us, “this knowledge can bring about a revolution in the impious lives of a misdirected human civilization.” (SB 1.5.11). Krishna appears in this universe only once ever ~2 billion years (CC Adi 3.10) and we are so fortunate to be present on this planet just 5,000 years after He was here, exhibiting his wonderful pastimes. And now just 500 years ago, Lord Caitanya appeared to show us by His practical example how to perfect our relationship with Krsna and ultimately enter into His pastimes.

Just to get to the human form of life one has to progress from the Indragopa species through 8,400,000 species. Therefore, the human form of life is very rare. We, as beneficiaries of the bhakti knowledge have a great responsibility to alert all humans of their great potential and responsibility. By our dedications to this Sankirtan movement, we will be safe from the onslaughts of material nature and have the chance to escape the repetition of birth and death.
Guru Maharaja, I am so grateful that you have given my such purpose and opportunity in life.

Your aspiring servant,
Dāsya-prema das

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble and sincere obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to you.

You were rubbing shoulders with the so called intelligent, elitist men, at the pinnacle of the materialistic mountain, ready to change the world.
But seeing first hand the hypocrisy and deranged minds of the puny leaders of the day, you turned away from the shallow, empty path that our so called society glorifies, and began the selfless journey of a bhakti yogi.

Only a truly genuine soul, full of care and compassion, armed with supreme knowledge, could compel a man to lead a life like you do.
In the prime of youth, with a golden chariot parked before you, ready to escort you wherever you liked, you left home, reputation and worldly affairs behind, and accepted the saffron robes.

Without a single word uttered directly to you from the divine lips of Srila Prabhupada, like a swan extracting milk from milk and water combined, you devise many ways to please your beloved spiritual master.
Having staunch faith in the words spoken by your guru maharaj, you risked your very life and sanity to reach the sincere souls behind the iron curtain, relying completely on guru and Krishna.
Seemingly smashing the limits of human potential, surpassing the physical and mental constraints of the body, and standing upon the head of fear, the whole world is indebted to you and the other exalted personalities who executed this terrifying mission for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.

Now we live in a world in which nothing is certain, and no one can be trusted, except the words and actions of people such as you, who have surpassed the pitiful desires of these wretched bodies we hold so dear.

I see the wonderful spiritual children you are raising, how dedicated they are to pleasing you, and the glowing smiles that dress their beautiful faces when you cast a loving glance upon them. Who in their right mind could desire anything else but such a loving father.

It seems that now the time has come for you to fulfill the desire of the jagat guru, the spiritual master of the whole universe, to show New Zealand and the rest of the world that the Hare Krishna's have the answer to societies problems through simple living and high thinking.
Considering the hazy existence that I dwell in, I beg that you be merciful to me, and all my dear godbrothers and sisters, and use me however you see fit in executing your mission. I cannot see anything clearly through my materially drenched consciousness, so therefore, please continue to guide me. I promise to follow your order whole heartedly as my eternal guide and spiritual father.

Your aspiring disciple,

Dasyamrita Das.

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to you on this most auspicious day.

As time goes on, the more I feel the need for your shelter. This material world is a dark and lonely place and only increases my desire to be with Krishna’s devotees. Your mercy is the only thing that sustains my lowly existence and I am wholly and totally indebted to you for this fact. Remembering how you treat the devotees in your care helps me to continue with faith and determination. Please allow me to remain in the shade of your lotus feet and grant me eternal service.

tasmat sarvesu kalesu
mam anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mam evaisyasy asamsayah

Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krishna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt. (Bg 8.7)

O’ Gurudeva! May you always guide and instruct me, bringing me again and again back to your shelter and allow me to learn something about serving our Supreme Lord Krishna. May you always be merciful upon this fallen soul and never reject him. Hare Krishna!

Your servant,
Dayal Nitai Dasa.

Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisance
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance.

The spiritual master is described as the Suprem Personality of servitor Godhead he instills the spirit of service in the heart of the disciple.
This simple truth is what enables the disciple to gain realized experience of the value of service and of being a servant.
That service attitude, the experience of happiness derived from making an effort to care about the service we've been given, gives daily spiritual willpower to make progress and to remain in devotional service despite trying circumstances.
Our false sense of greatness in this world becomes a less attractive option because we are experiencing the authenticity and humbling reality of being a servant which gradually dissolves the false ego the many layers of lies we have told ourselves for lifetimes.
Chanting is purifying because it exposes the lies within us however great or small they seem and enables us to let go of them and so doing we come closer to our real ego.
Thank you for being an exemplary servant a beakon of hope in the darkness.
Your aspiring servant Dayalu Gaura Dasa

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Gurudeva you have given me everything – shelter, guidance, and the most precious gift of Sankirtana. I realize now, more than ever, how this service is not just an activity or duty. It is my very life and soul, simply because it is your life and soul.

Recently, I had an encounter that opened my eyes to this truth. A former bhakti practitioner approached me while I was distributing books, offering me an opportunity to join his sales company. He compared his work to what I was doing, trying to lure me into a path far removed from devotional service.
The moment shook me to my core, and a deep fear gripped me — how could I ever live without Sankirtan service, without serving you? The mere thought of a life without it felt so hellish that I was utterly shaken, terrified of ever being distanced from this sacred service to your lotus feet.

Before, I was simply performing the service as an offering to you, trying to do my duty. But after this interaction, I realized that this is not just service—it is the very essence of my life. It is through this service that I connect with your heart, your mission, and your deep love for Krsna and Srila Prabhupada. Without it, I would have no purpose, no direction, no reason to exist.

On this auspicious day of your divine Appearance, I pray that, by your grace, I may continue serving you life after life, never being kicked away from your shelter. Even though I am unqualified, unproductive, and full of faults, I beg that I may always have some part in serving you and assisting in your mission.

"Sampade vipade, jivane-marane
day mama gela, tuwa o-pada barane

In good fortune or in bad, in life or at death, all my difficulties have disappeared by choosing those feet of Yours as my only shelter. (Bhaktivinoda thakura)"

With tears in my eyes and humility in my heart, I offer this to you.

Your eternally aspiring servant,
Dayamaya devi dasi.

Hare Krishna Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on this auspicious day.

Our paths crossed the morning after your arrival back in Kiwi after a lengthy outreach tour crossing many oceans to inspire seekers and the innocent alike to embrace a life of pleasurable seva to the divine couple.
Your face showed weariness and fatigue. Still, with bright eyes you were striding over to Govardhana hill with determination to chant.
I had just purchased another car for your preaching here.
Previously you had revealed the need for a more comfortable ride to help alleviate some of the pangs of travel.
I was pleased to hear from you that the trip from the airport the night before was smooth and most comfortable.
The exchange was brief as I was just about to sell your previous old car that afternoon and complete my simple seva to assist in the humble distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s compassion that you have dedicated over fifty years too.
With much gratitude, I was meditating on all the help over the years supporting my wading through the murky waters of spiritual forgetfulness and leading me to the shore where I can finally turn to face the distant forests of Vraja.
This wonderful opportunity to associate with devotees, to move my heart to higher and higher levels of bhakti absorption.
Just like in Sanatana Goswami’s Sri Brihad Bhagavatamrita Where Narada Muni is travelling among different devotees trying to find the greatest recipient of Krsna's mercy. Spanning from those in the mood of isvarya right up to those most exalted and personnel associates of the lord in the different mellows of madhurya rasa.
By your training and personnel example I get this great fortune to taste a tiny drop of the ecstasies experienced in these intimate personal dealings in pure consciousness.
I have always been a sweet tooth and now I too can start to savour the ever deepening honey dew relationships that naturally spring from the hearts of devotees that are free from the shackles of this world.
Thanks so much for your part in my own travels in this culture of connecting hearts in perfection and developing the proper desires for richer Bhakti born from your merciful glance.

Dayavira Das

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

I offer my humble obeisances unto you, Gurudev, who has bestowed upon me the shelter of his lotus feet. You are my guiding light, leading me on the path to self-realization and devotion to Sri Krishna. Through your teachings and loving guidance, I have found hope and purpose in this spiritual journey.

Oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

You have opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torch of knowledge. Unto you, dear Gurudev, I offer my respectful obeisances.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

All glories to Srila Prabhupada, who has mercifully delivered the teachings of Lord Chaitanya to the world. By his efforts, so many have found their way back to Krishna’s loving embrace. I am forever grateful to be part of this divine movement, through the mercy of both Srila Prabhupada and your loving care, Gurudev.

Thank you, Gurudev, for giving me the opportunity to take shelter in your lotus feet. You have accepted me despite my countless imperfections and shown me the path to true surrender. My heart is humbled by your compassion, wisdom, and strength.

I humbly pray to you, Gurudev, to grant me the strength and determination to deepen my surrender at your lotus feet. May I always remember your teachings and serve you with devotion, loyalty, and sincerity.

Your servant,

Deepak

Haribol Gurudeva,

Dandavats. Please accept my humble obeisances again and again. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Please accept my humble obeisances on your Vyasa Puja.

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
Jñānāñjana-śalākayā

I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge.

CC Madhya 19.151 -
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

Translation
“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 Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.

Every year when you come to LA, I’m reminded again of how fortunate I’ve been to have stumbled upon your association and example, and how deeply grateful I am each day that you’ve allowed me to become your eternal disciple. As the verse says, it’s so rare for a soul like mine to receive the great fortune of associating with a pure devotee of Krsna—let alone to engage in any form of personal service. I feel deeply humbled that I’ve been given the chance to carry out anything remotely close to your desires. It’s my greatest hope and fortune to continue for as long as you wish.

I’m also so deeply fortunate that I get to see your example of outreach. The way you preach the love of Krsna takes on so many forms, adapting effortlessly to the person, time, and situation. Yet, it never loses its power or truth.
Everything I am is an offering to you and your grace. I only hope to make you proud in the service of Krsna, Prabhupada, and the devotees.

Your disciple and aspirant servant,
Deva Darshana Dasa

Nama om Vishnu padaya Krsna presthaya bhutale
Srimate Devamrita Swami iti namine.

Pracare purva daksyam ca
Bhaktacara pravinata
Pararthatapi karunyam
Yasya sarva ca te namah

Dear Gurumaharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to your divine appearance day

How will someone like me, with so many deficiencies, ever be able to glorify Your plethora of qualities? Everything that I have thought of writing falls woefully short of adequately honouring You. For my own purification, let me grovel at Your feet, like a child in need of a parent, with this miniscule attempt to glorify You. Please accept it as a gesture of love, a fragment of which You have shown to many of those with whom You have graced your presence.

In the beginning of our spiritual quests, we often present these questions: how can I place faith in Krsna or how can I trust this particular Guru? Suddenly after decades it struck me, what if the question was reversed. What if Gurudeva, You would ask me how can You trust my Sadhana? my commitment? my dependency? I cringe at the thought of even attempting to answer.
I humbly bow down to take shelter of You, who carry the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

All the Ācāryas in our line have graced the earth with the same magnanimity, with arms outstretched, ready to receive all who are eager to evolve and grow spiritually. It is not that we change any of the core principles of this most glorious path of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, but we must uphold that mood of our line – that if any soul approaches holding even an inkling of sincerity, then we welcome them in, nourish them, and patiently guide them along.

Our line is that of Kṛṣṇa Kṛpā Śrī Mūrti – those who are The Embodiment of Kṛṣṇa’s Mercy. There is no limit to how Śrīla Prabhupāda embodied Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. With unrivalled eagerness, He searched out the sincerity in the hearts of one and all. He fanned that spark of love of Kṛṣṇa, within those who, more often than not, from an external perspective, had no qualifications to approach Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda was part of that downpour of mercy that is so needed in our age of Kali. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, in the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.22: “Material existence is something like a blazing fire in the forest, which can be extinguished by the mercy of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The spiritual master is the mercy representative of the Lord. Therefore, a person burning in the flames of material existence may receive the rains of mercy of the Lord through the transparent medium of the self-realized spiritual master.”

Gurudeva, who am I, what was my qualification? What did I do to receive the love and mercy from You? Even a fool like me can now start comprehending the words of Srila Prabhupada simply by looking at You, the embodiment of those definition. In all these years I have observed, You do not discriminate in terms of where and how such a down pour of mercy takes place.

Again, in His writings, we can find Śrīla Prabhupāda speaking about a level of devotional service, expressed in the role of guru. The purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 16.55 says: “If one is true to Gaura-Nitai’s service in the disciplic succession, he can even exceed Nityananda Prabhu’s service. This is the process of disciplic succession. Nityananda Prabhu delivered Jagai and Madhai, but a servant of Nityananda Prabhu, by His grace, can deliver many thousands of Jagais and Madhais. That is the special benediction of the disciplic succession. One who is situated in the disciplic succession can be understood by the result of his activities.”

And how is it that Śrīla Prabhupāda can exude that powerful explosion of mercy, that spreads like a wave as high as the heavens? It is because he imbibes every aspect of Lord Nityananda’s example. Nitai is referred to as “adosha-darshi”, for he does not focus on the faults of others beyond a point where it is relevant or helpful. In that same way, Śrīla Prabhupāda did not understand the faults of anyone to be a disqualification in their pursuit of bhakti. Any boundaries, any faults, any bodily designations were shattered to pieces. Gurumaharaj, the picture sounds familiar to the eye. The description seems apt. We can rejoice to see that You understand the heart of Your dear father, Srila Prabhupada and the legacy continues through You. You leave no stone unturned to please Him by touching the lives of many and striving hard to reconnect them to Krsna and rekindle their love.

Service is a privilege which is extended to a conditioned soul by the mercy of Guru. The more I serve You, the more I realise how unworthy of a disciple I am. I bow down before You again and again. My prostrated obeisances at Your lotus feet is my only wealth. What do I have to offer You to try and express my gratitude for having sought out the sincerity within me? I can only bow my head and serve You, embarrassed at the patience You always show as I creep towards surrender at a snail’s pace. But please know that this mood You carry, like a family jewel, passed down from the disciplic succession, generation to generation, is my greatest source of inspiration. Seeing how much You believe in me is the very sun that illuminates my life. I pray that You will continue to show us the infinite joy and satisfaction that comes along with this mood and our sincere hope is to be set alight by this fire of bhakti, to stay within that fire, and to spread this mood further and wider, engulfing others with its flame.

amsho bhagavato 'smy aham
sada daso 'smi sarvatha
tat-kripapakshako nityam
tat-preshthasat karomi svam

“I am a tiny part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and I am always and in every way His eternal servant. As I am always hoping for His mercy and kindness, I offer myself to His most dear servitor, my spiritual master.”

Thank You Gurumaharaj. Your love towards me and my family is so heart-warming. Neglecting all our imperfections, You endorse each of our small attempts to please You. You reciprocate with such affection, and You never fail to repay with the sweet smile of Yours. I pray that one day, I can be worthy of being called Your son. One day. Just maybe one day. Maybe. What can I give to a father who wants nothing but the best for me, for my own benefit and purity. I noticed how through Your questions couple of years ago, You constantly made sure that I do not become too complacent and comfortable in my spiritual life. I still remember the day You asked me whether I feel enough challenges through my service to the Wyndham centre. Suddenly I could realise how much You wanted me to grow and leave behind my own conceptions. More than a decade ago, You told me You had plans for me and that I should make the trip from Mayapur to Melbourne. I never mustered the courage to ask You about the plan and simply followed along. I have been meditating on it for all these years and probably waited for it to be revealed to me. It is fascinating to see it unveiling in front of my eyes. I pray for Your well-being and optimum health Gurumaharaj, so You can please Srila Prabhupada even more. Happy Guru Vyasa Puja. Clasping a straw between my teeth, I repeatedly beg to attain the dust of Your lotus feet birth after birth.

Your insignificant son, daughter and granddaughter,

Dhīra Śiromani Dāsa
Ramani Śiromani
Sudevi Kisori

Hare Krishna Gurudev

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

Seeing your dedication to your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada for over a decade now in my short time in Krishna consciousness it makes me feel so humble and insignificant. However it inspires me to become a better sadhaka by following in your footsteps.

Although we remember your transcendental qualities and activities everyday but this day becomes even more intense. It’s almost like reporting Srila Prabhupada’s Christmas book marathon scores to Srila Prabhupada. Again it’s a reminder of my humble position when I see so many devotees are doing such a great service. However it gives inspiration to improve and make an effort to do better.

I beg you on this day to develop a speck of the dedication you have for Srila Prabhupada. By your mercy we have a tiny interest in distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. I hope that we can also remain like a humble servant at your lotus feet and continue assisting you in your service to Srila Prabhupada.

This year I had great fortune of hearing from you in Mayapur. It was so enlivening. Getting association of devotees from New Zealand there made even more like home. I felt like a new Bhakta seeing how nicely they have been serving you all these years. It kind of reminded me of Uddhava visiting Vrindavan and feeling so humble by witnessing exalted devotion and love of the devotees in Vraja for Lord Sri Krishna.

I have been thinking how you told my mother in Vrindavan “ chanting Hare Krishna is more important than worshiping your deity at home”. Again it reminded me how much more absorbed you are in this chanting of the Holy names and setting the standards high.

It is said in Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.35 purport, that Sruti and Smrti sashtras are the two eyes of a brahmana. This day we can express our gratitude for giving us these eyes but also again and again reminding us out of compassion to help us grow from being kanistha to atleast madhyama platform and become better assistants in your service to Srila Prabhupada.

It was such a pleasure to see even at the temple in LA so many people came forward to get copies of “Hiding in Unnatural Happiness” book. So many people got pictures of you signing their copies. It is so kind of you to engage us in such an ecstatic service. I beg you on this auspicious appearance day that we may also remain at your lotus feet doing this humble service of being a servant of your servants.

You servant

Dhira-Lalita Dasa

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my obeisances in the dust at your lotus feet.

All glories to you on your 74th Vyasa Puja.

This year, I am reflecting on the compassion with which you reached out to me over 25 years ago and what a true shelter you have been ever since. I thank you from the core of my heart.

I was only 6 when my birth father passed away, so the loss haunted me throughout my life. By the age of 24, I had money and travel opportunities but nothing could eradicate the lamentation. Nothing and no one could give me shelter from that. Until I met you.

You were grave, “Di, what are you doing with your life?” You were compassionate, “Oh, you want to do conservation work? We can find something for you to do.” You seemed, from the beginning, to know me better than anyone. You knew why I was suffering, you knew what I needed, you knew how to take care. And you still do.

From that time, I had a refuge in Krishna consciousness under the shade of your lotus feet. As the years go by, the lamentation is actually subsiding. I don’t look back to lament the loss of my birth father; instead I simply hold on to my eternal shelter through your service and association, and I know that will continue beyond these times.

A devotee of the Lord is rare but the compassion with which you reach out and give shelter is surely extraordinary. You make whoever comes in contact with you so fortunate. You always do your best to save someone from this ocean of birth, death, old age and disease that brings lamentation.

I thank you Guru Maharaja,

Your eternal spiritual daughter
Dina Dayala devi dasi.

Hare Krsna Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada! Happy appearance day to you!

I am so grateful to you for your continued guidance. I feel very unqualified to receive the kind of care you invest in me and our relationship as spiritual master and disciple. Whenever I am confused by differing opinions, I know I can always count on studying how you live your life and execute your bhakti practice to give me clear guidance on how to "keep the main thing, the main thing."

I really appreciate how you take care of your health as a priority, so that you can keep giving so personally and effectively to all your disciples and newcomers to bhakti. From what I gather from your lectures in the 90s, devotees taking such proactive measures for their health was (and perhaps still is) a bit taboo. But nevertheless, you stuck to it; and as you expressed to me, your health is now even better than when you were in your 40s. Thank you for setting such an example for us.

One should not see the spiritual master as belonging to a certain caste, and indeed, one could not confine you to a specific caste even if they tried. You are the topmost brahmana, an extremely expert manager, a transcendental businessman, and practical, artistic, and poetic in the way you present bhakti. I am so happy to have had first-hand experience of but one of the many aspects of your genius: the "Loft-style" preaching centers. Practically from the time someone enters the door of a Bhakti-Lounge-style center, they are offered the opportunity to be lifted to the madhyama-adhikari platform.

More and more, I see centers popping up all over the place with names of some combination of the words, "bhakti," "mantra," "Krishna," with "loft," "center," "lounge." Devotees are catching on: your model, based on Srila Prabhupada's approach in the Bowery, really works!

Beyond that, you just have transcendental swagger. You are never outdated, but always ahead of the times. Those who I've spoken with after your outreach programs reflect the same realization: "He's not what I imagined a swami to be like; he's actually… cool!" It's impressive; those of our generation have never met anyone like that. Even amongst devotees, I have yet to meet anyone quite like that.

Your instructions are so potent. Even comments that you have said to me seemingly "in passing" have had such a profound effect on my life and helped me to transform in ways I never thought possible. Not only have you saved my life, but by your instructions and personal association, you continue to enrich it more and more. To me, this is proof that bhakti is ever-expanding.

Thank you for giving me protection and such a satisfying life in Krishna's service. I am so blessed to be able to do devotional service full-time while living in the association of supremely dedicated devotees. I am constantly surrounded by "bhakti sense objects." You have made it very easy for all of us to tie up all of our karmic loose-ends, and go back to Godhead in this very lifetime.

As each year goes by, I hope to be able to serve you with even an ounce of the steadiness and genuine enthusiasm that you demonstrate.

Your daughter,
Dīna-pālikā devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaja,

We offer our humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

On this sacred day of your appearance, it is a time to ponder on the profound impact you've had on Srila Prabhupada's mission. Prabhupada says that a genuine spiritual master speaks solely Krishna's words and acts according to Krishna's desire.

Following Srila Prabhupada and our revered acharyas, you've devoted nearly fifty years to spreading Krishna's glories, tirelessly creating opportunities for others to embrace devotional service. Your unwavering dedication must be bringing immense joy to Srila Prabhupada. Your every word and action is according to the desire of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.

Your extraordinary life of sacrifice comes from your deep love for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, exemplifying Krishna's instruction: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This quality is the greatest quality of purified souls.

We eagerly seek your blessings and are always grateful for your mercy, which surrounds us with devoted godbrothers and sisters.

Your exemplary love and commitment inspire us to follow in your footsteps. We humbly request your continued mercy, that we may become worthy instruments in your service.

Your servants,
Dinodhari Das
Satyadhari Dasi
Krishna Das

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada, All glories to you on this most auspicious day

Over the last several months, I have been making a deliberate attempt to listen to your lectures on a daily basis, and in this regard your podcast is such a blessing. Adding to the long list of your services, you have taken up the task of podcasting. The episodes in your podcast are very convenient to listen to in the busy schedule that I have. Each episode is a convenient 30 minutes long, usually focussed on a single topic and full of pearls of wisdom. They also have pleasant music playing in the background.

Gurudeva, you are always thinking not only of how to make it easy for people to take up Bhakti, but also about how to go deeper in Bhakti.

I’m very grateful for your podcast, they’re a daily source of inspiration in my march on the path of Bhakti.

Your insignificant servant,
Duranta-Sakti Das

Hare Krishna Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Vyāsapūjā is a great occasion and opportunity for a disciple to meditate on and glorify the divine qualities of the spiritual master. Our efforts in comprehending your wonderful qualities can be compared to Dr. Frog of the well in trying to understand the size of the ocean. However, please allow us to try to glorify your holiness, only for our own purification.

Vṛndāvana is the realm beyond material world and is the topmost destination of dedicated bhakti practitioners. Vṛndāvana, however, is not just limited to a geographical location but is also the state of consciousness. Mood of Vṛndāvana is a daily festival. This mood of festival is experienced by us every time you visit Melbourne! A festival has different aspects—preparation, anticipation, the day of festivities and celebration and the post-festival wrap-up and recovery to get back to the business as usual. Prior to your arrival in Melbourne, there is a great amount of preparations to make the most of your visit. You are an expert in everything that you do and you expect your disciples to also be expert in arranging all the programs for you. Closer to your arrival there is an anticipation to see you in action at the scheduled events and a lot of prayers that nothing goes wrong during these events.

Your arrival brings a wave of enthusiasm as you inspire devotees to chant Hare Krishna, read and distribute Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and associate with devotees. You are always ecstatic in the kirtans, dancing and fully expressing the joy of kirtan while asking everyone else to sing and dance. In various occasions, when devotees were not fully participating to the kirtans, you again and again gestured them to get off the mental platform and participate in the chanting and dancing!

You often point out book distribution to be the reason of your success in outreaching non-Indian audience and you are always encouraging devotees to distribute books. At the latest Melbourne Bhadra Campaign Celebrations, you were most joyful, throwing your arms up in the air, hearing the scores of the Bhāgavatams distributed.

Your personal interactions with devotees are short but meaningful. With your transcendental vision, you very quickly point out where a devotee is at and instruct them to get out of their version of māyā. These instructions are like the sutras, very short and deep.

It’s always a treat to see you in action at the outreach as you, a great general in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission, unwaveringly and determinately deliver the science of Kṛṣṇa bhakti perfectly tailored and delivered to the audience. Your audiences, both new and regular, love to see you, hear your thought-provoking lectures and sing along with your ecstatic kirtans and they always leave the venue feeling enlightened and inspired by your presence.

While we rest and recover somewhat overwhelmed by the activities of few days in your presence, spiritual nourished but materially exhausted, you continue your sankirtan festival with the same vigour unto your next destination. It’s very hard for a tiny brain to understand how do you continue to do this day after day?

The festive atmosphere of your presence is due to your great enthusiasm to chant, read and serve Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. You constantly instruct us to similarly chant with enthusiasm and read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s book, everyday. In one darshan, you instructed me to read everyday! “But Gurudev there are so many services and it’s very hard!” “There will always be something, so no excuses!”

Thank you Gurudev for showing us the peak potential for bhakti and the process to get there. I wish to continue to serve Krishna and His wonderful devotees with enthusiasm in such a way that I may please them. As I take my baby steps towards that great goal, I humbly seek your blessings.

Your aspiring servant,
Dvija Pītāmbara Dāsa

Hare Krishna Dear Guru Maharaj!

Please accept my humble obesiances

All glories to your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

My dear Guru Maharaj

As I am writing my offerings on your Vyasa Puja day, I am excited and afraid of as well, whether I am following you truly or not.

6 months ago, when you visited Noida, you gave me second initiation. Till then I am trying to serve Sri Sri Radha Govind Dev deities here in ISKCON Noida. I am trying to attain the Brahminical qualities. One day when I was serving Lord Jagannath Baldev and Subhadra, one of Pujari reminded me that we serve the deities on behalf of our Guru Maharaj. As I am new in this service, I am learning a lot of things. When he said that, I keep on meditating you, as how you do things with perfection. Even if it is a small service or a big preaching avenue. Whenever you are assigned to deliver a lecture, you do prepare it well. Though you would have studied the scriptures so many times, but you take it seriously. You would interact with people or devotees around you and would enquire about the current scenario. This is a very good habit and it connects you with your audience.

I am so fortunate that I have been connected with such a great spiritual master, who is carrying the lineage of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With your mercy and blessings I am proceeding further in my spiritual life. Please forgive me for the offences, I would have been committed into your Lotus feet.

My sincere prayers for your good health Guru Maharaj. Please always be merciful to all of our God Brothers and Sisters so that we all together could serve the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

Thanks

Wish you a very happy Vyasa Puja Guru Maharaj

Your humble servant

Ekant Dham Das

Dear Gurudev

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to his Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

Nama om vishnu-padaya
Krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
Srimate Devamrita-svamin iti namine

Pracäre purva-daksyam ca
Bhaktacära-pravinäta
Pararthatäpi karunyam
Yasya sarve ca te namah

All glories to you on this auspicious appearance day.

Gurudev, on this day I reflect on one of your lectures in Melbourne, where you said that how you had just a moment's association with Srila Prabhupada and how Srila Prabhupada acknowledged the service you were doing at BBT. You were emphasising that how one moment's mercy of Srila Prabhupada helped you in becoming pure devotee, you are today.

Though I am not mature and qualified enough to give any personal seva to you Gurudeva, still I can recollect all the moments, I have been fortunate enough to be in your presence.

In Chaitanya Caritamrita Madhya Lila 2.54 :

‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge 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."

Last year I have been fortunate to get some moment's association along with my family, though I received some veiled chastisement. After meeting you, we were so motivated to render devotional service more sincerely.

You instructed me to be STEADY, I am trying to be steady (I know I am still lacking) and with your blessing and mercy my sadhna is better than before.

Thank you for inspiring us always.

I sincerely pray to Krishna that you always be in great health and continue to guide us.

Please bless me and my family so that we can serve you.

Trying to be your useful servant

Ekatma Gaura Dasa

Hare Krsna Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to your sankirtan efforts and devotion to Srila Prabhupada.

Gurudeva, I hope as I try to appreciate and glorify you, you can understand I am completely unfit to make an offering, for I have only known you for a year or so. Please forgive me for the offenses I have made previously and any offense I may make while writing this offering.

Please see that I desire to one day fully surrender to you, acting like a child attached to your leg, scared, crying, trying not to be swallowed up by the material energy, where I can’t know the love of the devotees or the love of Krsna. Your compassion and warm glance compare to what I imagined the love from my biological father would feel like. You have so kindly blessed me, a hopeless unintelligent Kali Yuga smashed teenager, to sit at your feet while you explain things beyond her frame of vision or thought. Gurudeva, please give me your blessing so I can be a humble servant of your devotees and your mission. I truly don’t know what is actually good for me, so please help me. There are so many things I wish I had the desire for in Krsna consciousness. I only have enthusiasm for glorification and fame. So please bless me that I can become a devotee full of all the Vaishnava qualities and can be completely dedicated to my spiritual master. For the love between the spiritual master and disciple, as shown by Srila Prabhupada, runs so deep.

I hope that as I use and grow within the facilities you have provided for us in Wellington, our relationship can deepen, similar to that of a loving father and daughter. I am very excited to see where Krsna and you take me in the battle against material nature. I look forward to having your association again soon. Hare Krsna.

I apologize if this caused any offense.
Your aspiring servant,
Gabrielle

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

You have said that the flood of love of God means the flood of devotional service.

Thank you for countless opportunities for devotional service. There never seems to be any shortage.

You also said don’t resent the flood, learn how to swim in the flood.

As a new bhakta I asked you – what do we do if all your ashram services are done and you’ve done your daily sadhana?

You then proceeded to open my eyes to the endless ocean of outreach service.

Thank you for pioneering urban outreach. So many of us would never have gone to a temple or met a devotee. If you hadn’t setup urban outreach centers, or encouraged and inspired devotees to go out on book distribution, Harinam parties and prasad distribution, where would we be?

By your mercy, I bumped into all 3 before landing at the bhakti lounge.

Thank you for starting and then overseeing bridge outreach programs such as yoga sessions, cooking workshops, bush walks, etc. This helped me and others see the “holistic” approach that bhakti can offer, in addition to the more traditional kirtan nights and Bhagavad Gita workshops.

Your urban outreach motto

- we make it easy to come to Krishna consciousness, we make it easy to grow Krishna consciousness and we make it easy to give Krishna consciousness to others –

definitely holds true.

Thank you for “sealing the deal” by accepting me as your disciple

As Prahlada Maharaja prays to Lord Nrsimhadeva -

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 Nārada 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?

(SB.7.9.28)

How could I not be grateful for what you have done for me and countless others?

As H.H. Mukunda Maharaja recalls - Srila Prabhupada said the following regarding his own spiritual master:

I was sitting alone with Swamiji in his room, and he was very grave and silent. His eyes were closed. Then, suddenly, tears began flowing from his eyes. And he said in a choked voice, “My spiritual master was no ordinary spiritual master.” Then he paused for some time, and wiping the tears from his cheeks, he said in an even more choked voice, “He saved me.” At that point I began to understand the meaning of “spiritual master” and dropped all consideration of ever replacing Swamiji.

(Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta » Vol 1 – Chp 26)

How could I not be grateful for what you have done for me and countless others?

Thank you for so much of your personal association. You said that you would have liked more of Srila Prabhupada's personal association. Out of mercy you have given to us what you yourself wanted - more personal time in the presence of one’s spiritual master.

Thank you for allowing myself and others to go to the holy dhamas for 1 month every other year as part of our spiritual recharge program.

Thank you for being so balanced. Your strict, but not fanatical. For example, you have a strict diet, but if someone cooks for you who can’t quite follow it, you still accept the loving offering.

Thank you for appreciating everyone's service. You encourage, thank and glorify cooks, builders, electricians, book distributors, kirtaneers, managers, mentors, donors, farmers, gardeners and anyone who is trying to practice bhakti – from the new to the veteran practitioners.

Thank you for showing us practically how Krishna Katha can be ever fresh. So many times, I have seen or heard you relay the same pastimes, topics or points, and yet every time you are so enlivened and enthusiastic.

Thank you for continuing to push on despite decades of travelling. You help establish new outreach centers such as studio 108 in London and maintain and expand existing ones like the loft in Auckland.

You perform so much service we don’t see. You serve as the GBC for NZ, Australia, and also parts of the USA - like New York and Gita Nagari.

You are a Spiritual master with disciples all over the world – You help maintain spiritual standards wherever you go.

You are a Sannyasi – a travelling preacher – always looking to Expand the outreach.

You have given more than 50 years of service to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON. Most of us haven’t even been alive that long.

As a GBC member for over 23 years, including a stint as the Chairman, you assist in
- keeping ISKCON together to spread Lord Caitanya's mission
- steering ISKCON on the right on course to achieve the goals Srila Prabhupada laid out
- and you are responsible to see that ISKCON functions as a unified whole, while honoring the diversities in a worldwide organization.

You are also connected with the BBT. You help with getting transcendental literature published and facilitate others as well as even editing and proofreading yourself.

In his book “I’ll Build You a Temple”, His Holiness Giriraj swami said in his Acknowledgements:

“Devamrita swami gave practical advice on how to proceed and I am grateful to him for publishing the book through BBT Australia-New Zealand”

Who knows what else you do that my tiny brain can’t fathom?

Thank you Gurudeva.

Thank you for allowing me to assist you in some small way.


Your servant,
Gadai Gauranga dasa

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances on this joyful occasion of your Vyasa-Puja,
All glories to your relentless efforts to make Prabhupada's mercy available to all !

Today, I meditate on your vigilance and compassion in Krishna consciousness. You mentionned in one of your lectures, that vigilance is required for a devotee to make progress in spiritual life, because māyā is strategic. Sometimes the mind seems, for a while, to stop tempting us. But this does not mean that we have conquered our material desires. You explain that the mind sometimes becomes quiet, so that we become overconfident and relax in our vigilance. This conjured up in image in my mind of maya as a stealthy tiger waiting for the right opportunity to jump on us with redoubled vigour and attempt to devour our spiritual life.

Every time the mind jumps at us, we have a choice: Krishna or māyā. Gurudeva, it seems apparent to me that you have repeatedly chosen Krishna for so long that you don't need to choose anymore. You are spontaneously attracted.

I heard recently that Prabhupada's spiritual grandchildren are more fortunate than his spiritual children. Because even though his direct association is unmatchable, his grandchildren can witness the evolution of a devotee's attachment from māyā to Krishna. We have inspirational living examples of those who have traversed the ocean of material existence, who have conquered their minds and reawakened their their spiritual consciousness, their love for Krishna. O Gurudeva, you are one of those heroes who illuminate the path of bhakti, showing us that we too can become pure devotees, can become successful in this task of crossing the ocean of birth and death.

You are like a ferryman, taking us from the lowest regions of material despair to the highest realms of spiritual bliss. You are patita-pāvana, the deliverer of the fallen, humbly following in Lord Caitanya, Rupa Goswami and Prabhupada's footsteps.

When will I start to understand your glories, Gurudeva? When will I become a fit candidate to take full advantage of your overflowing mercy? When will I fulfill your desires? When will I become your loving servant? On this glorious day of you appearance, I humble myself and wholeheartedly beg you to please make me qualified to truly serve you, birth after birth.

May your glories be known all over the three worlds, so that more and more jīvas become inspired to surrender their lives to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is non-different from Krishna&nbsp;Himself.

Dear Guru Maharaja

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you on this most auspicious day of Sri Vyasa Puja

In one of your podcast episodes you shared a most amazing letter between Srila Prabhupada and Paramananda Das. This letter noted that a key factor to becoming an instrument in devotional service was sincerity in following the instructions of the spiritual master. This sincere attempt is the only thing required for making advancement in Krishna Consciousness.

In the 2nd canto, 9th chapter, text 24 purport of Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada states that an easygoing life and the attainment of perfection in transcendental realization cannot go together. The Lord wants to see how painstaking we are in devotional service. Krishna is waiting to see what more we will do for Him. Sincere surrender is the only way to do this.

But surrender is not a one time thing. It's a daily, if not hourly, if not consistent choice we make. Surrender is the practice which strengthens our faith. It is this sincere consistency on the path of devotion which will become our spiritual strength.

Guru Maharaja, thank you for being a shining example of sincerity in my life, and a constant motivator in my devotional practice. Through your guidance and grace, may my sincerity in devotional practice grow, and may my heart find greater and greater satisfaction in serving the vaisnavas at every moment.

Aspiring to be a servant
Gaura Bhumi devi dasi

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.


We are serial losers in a rigged game,
The material energy pretends to offer us hope and fame,
But at what cost and what do we really gain?
A fleeting happiness that leads us to shame,
Yet against the tide there you stand,
Beating the drum as part of Prabhupada's band,
Your carefully crafted words cut through our fickle minds,
Distilling ancient wisdom that opens our eyes which are blind,
Outreach your life blood,
Stemming the tide of maya's flood,
You continue to remain ahead of the curve in terms of world views,
Enabling to weave into your talks any relevant news,
Armed with a deep and broad understanding of the scriptures,
Helping us all to see the bigger picture,
You remain loyal to the words of our founder,
Never deviating from their purpose whilst remaining an all-rounder,
Study of the books your core focus and aim,
Always encouraging us to never dim our flame,
Thank you for what you continue you to do,
An example to us all of what is pure and true,
Your care and correction both tonic to our broken identities,
Forever indebted am I and will continue to be.

Your servant
Gaura Kishore dasa

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On the glorious celebration of your appearance day, I would like to sincerely thank you, Guru Maharaj, for all the guidance you have given me in this life, and most importantly, for having blessed my family.

Gokulesvari d.d. and I are both your loyal servants, and we do our best to maintain a decent standard in our small part of the world, Guadalajara, Mexico.

Things have not been easy. The pandemic made it seem as if the world was becoming a worse place as Kali Yuga advances. Yet you have made it very clear to us that the material world is not a place for gentlemen and ladies, and we should always do our best through tapasya to follow the process to the best of our abilities and get out of the cycle of repeated birth and death within this universe and others.

I feel very happy and fortunate to have taken initiation at your lotus feet. Even though I am both materially and spiritually very far from you, I would like to mention that you are the kindest of all. You took me and my wife as your disciples and instructed us through your efforts, transcendental knowledge, and love.

Please accept this small offering on behalf of Gokulesvari, Nitai, and me. Nitai is now 9 years old, and he is a very sweet devotee.

We miss you very much, and we pray to Krishna to give us the opportunity to meet again.

Hare Krishna, dear Guru Maharaj.

Dearest Gurudev,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja, we would like to thank you for guiding and helping us to stay on the bhakti path. We are reminded of a class you gave a few years ago, wherein you compared yourself to a Mail-Man! You said I bring to you mail or messages from Sri Krishna without changing the content. You said, just like a Mail-Man does not open the mail and make additions to the messages, you also repeat what Sri Krishna has said in the Bhagavad Gita. This, you said, would bring clarity and authenticity in our lives and help us to control our senses and mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNzuIu3dM24

We love these transcendental messages you bring! We know, with every year, it probably gets harder and harder for you to take on these austerities and travel around the world delivering Sri Krishna's messages. We pray at the Lotus Feet of The Pancha Tattva, that They give you the best opportunity to succeed in your endeavors to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world.

Your humble servants,

Gaura Prema das,
Nitai Prema dd,
Krishna Prema das

8 October 2024

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

On the auspicious occasion of your Vyasa puja I am reflecting on my life as a devotee and my heart fills with gratitude for your mercy. Back in April/May 2010 when I had attended my first lecture given by yourself at the Loft, Auckland I had asked you a typical Hindu person’s question, “Have you seen Krishna?”. You said “Yes” and then you recited “raso ’ham apsu kaunteya”. I felt something in my heart so strong in that moment that changed the course of my life towards Krishna Consciousness. I felt that there is some meaningful point of this life as I was really exhausted from the intense burden of academic studies and corporate progress pressure and was not seeing any meaning to it.

A few months later in August 2010 I was intensely reading Bhagvad Gita in my small apartment and felt this deep desire to approach you and request you to join Bhaktivedanta Book trust in your guidance and dedicate my entire life to the work on Srila Prabhupada’s books however Maya somehow stopped me from approaching you and filled my head with self-doubts with fear of rejection.

Over the years your vani through lectures, classes and Srimad Bhagvatam classes has kept me afloat until this day. I deeply want to contribute to your mission in some capacity and praying to your lotus feet to please give me strength and ability so that I can engage in devotional service and assist you in some way to continue your mission.

I have observed your dedication and single pointed selfless focus for so many years to continue to spread Lord Chaitana’s mission and engaging so many devotees is beyond my comprehension. I feel I have had such great opportunity to serve you but I have not done anything to offer you however I intend to engage in some way in my future life and pray for strength and mercy on this day.

I want to thank you for saving me from the dangerous mayavad philosophy and I am craving to really understand the real nectar of Devotional Service because everything that I have received from you so far is more than enough to convince me that this (Devotional Service) is my life, this is my path and this is the goal of my life.

Your aspiring servant,
Gaura Priya das

nama om vishnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrita swami iti namine

pracare purva dakshyam ca bhaktacara pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarva ca te namah

Dear Gurudev
Please accept our humble obeisance at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

On this auspicious occasion of your Vyasapuja celebration Gurudev, I'm making my feeble attempt to glorify you for my own purification. Please accept this humble offering and bless me that I can continue to be engaged in your service eternally.

Recently I learned this famous verse by heart and mediating on this verse sweetness and profoundness.

tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ

The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one’s sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.

I am learning Srimad Bhagavatam under the guidance of HG Gauranga Darshan Prabhu. He taught that this particular verse as Essence of Essence of Essence of Essence of Essence.

Srimad Bhagavatam is the Essence of all the scriptures, Essence of Srimad Bhagavatam is Tenth Canto, Essence of Tenth Canto is in the 5 chapters of Lord Krishna’s vraja leela with His dearmost devotees gopis. Essence of those is the Gopi Gita of 19 verses. Essence of those is this astonishing middle verse.

Gopis in simple and in pure love glorifying the nectar of preaching and spreading message of Godhead and proclaiming those who do it are the most munificent in this creation. Srila Prabhupada principle statement “Preaching is the essence” perfectly align to divine will and Parampara’s heartbeat.

Often when we think of the sages, we imagine a person lying in one place doing deep meditation and gaining great personal realization. However, you are an extensive travelling sage carrying the most shining lamp of knowledge with deep compassion as passed on by Srila Prabhupada’s.

I often wonder how tiring it would be physically and mentally carrying on the austerity of travelling all through the year. You once said “I am living in the activity of devotional service and not bound by place”. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur states “Our span of life on earth is short. Our life will be crowned with success if the body wears out with constant discourses on Hari.”. You are a living example of steady dedication to the discourses of Hari all over the world.

You present the deep science of Krishna Consciousness very expertly to the modern, confused and puffed-up people with great finesse, sensitivity, sweetness, clarity, authority, wit and in most wonderous amusing ways. Listeners can’t help but pause their material passionate priorities for a while and relish the divine words of wisdom from your mouth and thereafter devastating Krishna prasadam all equally to unlimited degree. You turn everyone into dancers of Gauranga Mahaprabhu kirtan party. You are expert in recruiting the best of all and the worst of all and turn them into devotee with attractive transcendental quality and activity. You see the spark of devotion and fan it gently to blaze it quickly. There won’t be any unemployment problem in the service of the Lord for there are great leaders like you who expertly guide in dovetailing material skills in Lord’s service and make it all spiritual.

The world today is fraught with dangers of war, diseases, sinful activities and people trapped in devilish delights. Amazingly at the same time the wonderful Sankirtan Movement of Lord Chaitanya is expanding day by day by dedicated followers nourishing the wandering souls lost in illusion by sharing the divine message of Godhead. They are true friends of society.

I wish I may not be lost in the illusion but stay intact and always inspired by the the Sankirtan movement to contribute steadily, heartily for spiritual upliftment of whom I come in contact with drop of your mercy.

We are extremely grateful and indebted for your mercy. We humbly seek your divine shelter and protection. We seek your causeless mercy to gain the glimpses of glories of devotional service and personally feel the urgency, act with intensity and develop steadiness and purity to qualify to render pure devotional service.

Your aspiring servants
Gauramandala das and Vraja mandala devi dasi, Sanjitha and Shruti.

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.

As I often heard you say during your initiation lectures, “real initiation is in the heart”. It happens when one decides to take his relationship with the spiritual master and Krishna as his life and soul, and that consciousness may be there before initiation, during, after or not at all.
Thus, with a new name must also come a sense of responsibility to serve the spiritual master by following his instructions sincerely. In the beginning, this obligation may seem quite mechanical, but the more the student applies himself to following such a direction, and gets to understand the character and desire of his guru, the more he becomes inspired by devotional feelings to serve him and his mission without reservation.

You have fully taken to heart Lord Caitanya’s request by selflessly serving the instructions of your spiritual master all over the world. For decades, out of deep love for Srila Prabhupada, you have dedicated yourself to teach everyone about the Supreme Lord’s glories. This exhausting travelling seems to never tire you, and quite the opposite, gives you even more strength in your preaching adventures.

I cherish the memories I keep of our traveling in the dhama together last year. Although I felt totally unqualified being at your side, not really knowing how to please you best, I am grateful that you allowed me to come closer to you so I may always keep these impressions in my heart as my foremost shelter.

My desire is to one day become as serious and sincere a disciple, as you are to Srila Prabhupada. I pray that you bless my heart with that “real initiation” that inspires one to serve his guru without reservation, with pure love and devotion. Nothing is more worthwhile in this life than trying to preach the message of Lord Caitanyadeva, which you yourself have taken full shelter of.

Allow me to end this offering by quoting Raghunath das goswami’s prayers to Lord Nityananda prabhu (CC Antya Lila 6.131-133). Indeed, you are the representative of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and as such, I know that you are empowered to fulfil such a daring request.

tomāra kṛpā vinā keha ‘caitanya’ nā pāya
tumi kṛpā kaile tāṅre adhameha pāya

“No one can attain the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without Your mercy, but if You are merciful, even the lowest of men can attain shelter at His lotus feet.

ayogya mui nivedana karite kari bhaya
more ‘caitanya’ deha’ gosāñi hañā sadaya

“Although I am unfit and greatly afraid to submit this plea, I nevertheless request You, Sir, to be especially merciful toward me by granting me shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

mora māthe pada dhari’ karaha prasāda
nirvighne caitanya pāṅa — kara āśīrvāda”

“Placing Your feet on my head, give me the benediction that I may achieve the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without difficulty. I pray for this benediction.”

Your aspiring servant,

Gauranga-Gopala dasa

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you.

I am taking this auspicious occasion to express my deepest gratitude to you Gurudeva. As you always mention that these days all the countries are trying to become superpower by making big weapons and working towards economic development to control other countries. Unfortunately, we are living in that society but fortunately by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, we also got an opportunity to join Sankirtana yajna and associate with the most powerful weapon, i.e. Hare Krishna mantra, wealth of sastra and the committed, dedicated and merciful army of Srila Prabhupada. You are one of the maharathis and a mahatma who has dedicated his entire life to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You are spreading the shining glance to all the fallen souls in this age of kali. You are carrying the mood of compassion from your spiritual master by giving Krishna to all the people who are drowning in the ocean of suffering.

You mentioned in one of your lectures that “the first-class disciple is one who understands his spiritual master before even being instructed”. I was deeply meditating on that point, how you have understood your spiritual master even though you haven’t received any oral instructions from him. You have given your heart and soul to fulfil Srila Prabhupada’s mission all these years although facing so many difficulties.

Gurudeva by your causeless mercy you brought me to your close association and made my life more meaningful by serving you. I know that I am not even qualified to do any service but by your mercy I am able to do some service. We often hear that one who gets the opportunity to hear the mantra even once is very fortunate, by your mercy I have become even more fortunate because I get to hear the maha mantra every day, associate with devotees and get a chance to have prasadam every day. You always encourage me to do devotional service by personal instructions.

<i>” By the pleasure of the spiritual master, one can get extraordinary power, especially in spiritual advancement. The blessings of the spiritual master are more powerful than one’s personal endeavor for such advancement” (SB 8.15.28).</i>

Srila Gurudeva, you gave me so much, but I am still begging at your lotus feet that I can continue serving you to the best of my ability. This is my only hope to progress in bhakti.

Your insignificant servant
Gauranga Mohan Das

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you Gurudev

I am deeply indebted to you for all you have given to me and my family. It is only by your causeless mercy I have been able to serve the deities in the Los Angeles temple which I relish the most in my life.

It is always an ecstatic and wonderful experience when you are here in Los Angeles and amazing to see how you plan your activities in your busy schedules so perfectly keeping Krishna at the center.

You have always emphasized reading Prabhupada books regularly and in my experience, I can clearly say that it changed my consciousness a lot.

On this occasion of your Vyasa Puja, I sincerely pray to Lord Krishna that you have a long life with good health, strength, and peace so that you can continue uplifting fallen souls like me to Krishna consciousness.

Your insignificant servant,
Gaurangachandra Das

Namo om Vishnu padayaya
Krishna pastalya bhutakle
Shrimate Devamrita-swamin iti namine

I offer my respectful obeisance's unto His Holiness Devamrita Swami, who is very dear to Lord Krishna on this earth, having taken shelter at his lotus feet.

Pracare-purva-daksyam-ca
bhaktacara-pravinata
Pararthathapi-karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah

Obeisances unto you who have all the qualities of unique skills in preaching, competence in Vaisnava dealings, selflessness and compassion.

Gurudev, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam endorses the Spiritual master as karṇadhāram- the captain of the boat. It says, “This human body can be compared to a perfectly constructed boat having the spiritual master as the captain and the instructions of the Personality of Godhead as favourable winds impelling it on its course. Considering all these advantages, a human being who does not utilize his human life to cross the ocean of material existence must be considered the killer of his own soul.” I am very thankful to the captain who all the way came to Adelaide and gave the realisation to this perplexed body. He is continuously and tirelessly radaring this boat in the favourable direction of the winds of the Lord which says –
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi.

Gurudev, I am also thankful to have such a wonderful God family through you. In our previous visit to Melbourne- you instructed us to show Gratitude, Respect and Love among each other. On this auspicious occasion I pray the Lord to bestow upon us the knowledge and strength to cooperate with each other. In this way we will become an instrument of acceleration in your Spiritual master’s mission, which is very dear to you.

In the mundane material world, they say “the shortest route to once heart is through stomach”. But, in your case the shortest route to your heart is reading Śrī Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other transcendental literature with devotees. And we will surely adopt this route.

Once again wishing you a very very happy Krishna conscious Vyas Pooja. May Sri RadhaShyamsunderji bless you with good health &amp; well-being.

Your humble servant
Gauraranya das,
ISKCON Adelaide.

Hare Krishna Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Dear Gurudev, on your appearance day I just wanted to thank you for being my spiritual master and continuing to encourage me and see the best in me despite all my flaws and diversions. I don't think I really understood what a spiritual master was when I first joined (I think I thought it was kind of like a therapist!) But now I'm just getting a glimpse, and I just feel an overwhelming desire to serve you and assist you in your service to Srila Prabhupada. I don't want to take anymore, but just give and assist. I feel so inspired by your outreach projects around the world as well as your farm projects. I'm still so enthralled by your outreach talks and presentation of the philosophy to people from all walks of life. I still get amazed when I realize that everything you say is from Srimad Bhagavatam. For example, yesterday I was reading the third canto and came across this verse: "Both the lowest of fools and he who is transcendental to all intelligence enjoy happiness, whereas persons between them suffer the material pangs" and I realized that this is what you frequently describe when you talk about how only two types of people can be happy in this world (the completely materialistic fool and the completely self-realized) and everyone else in between has to have some anxiety. I was able to share this with one girl coming along in Bhakti who is struggling with anxiety, and it was really thought-provoking for her as well. The way you present the Krsna conscious philosophy is so relatable and relevant to all people and I simply strive to repeat your words to others. You have such an impact on the hearts of young people everywhere. Just after you left London, I was speaking with one girl (Anisa) and she said she felt really sad saying goodbye to you after your last talk at the studio, and she wasn't sure why but she just felt really sad you were leaving.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?” Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.” (Madhya 8.248)

I too feel sadness at your physical separation. I was recently praying to Krsna to help me to feel closer to my Gurudev. I often meditate on your words and what you have told me, but I still feel that I want to do more. After our last darshan in London I was regretful for some time afterwards that I did not take more advantage of the time you gave us. I feel that I should speak more with you but at the same time I feel that I don't want to speak anymore but just serve you. There is so much to do and I don't want to waste anymore time!

I can see now more and more that everything it says in the Bhagavatam is true, and everything you say is also true but sometimes I don't realize the import of your words until after much time has passed. My brain is dull and mangled from being ensconced in Kali Yuga.

I still remember with fondness how you used to tease me and say how psychologists have developed so many strategies to 'try to keep the memory alive' and elongate temporary fleeting happiness. I was so proud of my so-called psychological doctrines which in actuality have no meaning or bearing on reality. I feel I've been slapped in the face by the realities of this material world and want no part in it anymore. I had a revelation a few months ago that echoed something you often say: "I'm a failure at material happiness!" I was so elated when I realized what a failure I am. These are all the things I wanted to share with you in our darshan, but somehow did not. Maybe because of pride? I appreciate all the words you've said to me. Recently I have also been longing for some chastisement or correction from you - I know this doesn't come cheaply, but I just want to be molded and purified in this life of my conditionings that are such a heavy burden but which I cling onto so tightly.

Thank you Gurudev for supporting my husband through this very difficult time. I pray we can use it as an opportunity to come closer to your lotus feet and to Krsna because as you say, 'don't waste a good crisis.' Praying for your blessings and mercy as always.

Your spiritual daughter in reform,
Gita Govinda devi dasi

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this special anniversary of your appearance.

Recently, at the Victoria University event, as registrations began pouring in faster than expected, I started feeling a bit concerned. We had been advertising the event with a beautiful image of you against an image if the Earth, entitled by you, 'Mind, Body &amp; Climate Change.'
What if attendees were expecting a straightforward talk on climate change? Would we meet their expectations? Would people make a scene and walk out?!

Any doubts I had disappeared the moment you sat before the audience and began speaking. You are an expert teacher, Gurudeva. You grasp the depth of the issue that these students are apparently concerned about, and you embody the ultimate solution. Your ability to convey urgency, while challenging their intellect and touching their hearts, is unmatched.

In New Zealand, rugby is practically a national religion, with people spending money to sit in the stadium and cheer on their teams. Watching you mesmerize the audience with your deep intelligence, relatability, humour, and wit and of course, bhakti, was the best form of entertainment for me. In my heart, I was jumping for joy, just like the rugby fans do, as you spoke to the larger-than-usual crowd (by Wellington standards).

Before the talk, you mentioned to Vira Gopi that you might not be able to speak for the proposed 45 minutes. Yet 20 minutes in, you hadn't even moved to the second slide! You were in full swing, completely immersed, captivating the audience with your enthusiasm.

There were so many grateful students with questions that you had to pause them just to continue with the program. When you introduced the kirtan—an unfamiliar experience for many attending—you humbly requested their permission: “I beg a little favour of you; if you don’t mind, we will try out this chanting.” Little did they know this person requesting their permission is a respected leader involved in many projects and has hundreds of followers all over the world!

As I stood by the door as students filed out to receive prasadam, I saw how enlivened and happy they were, with many expressing genuine gratitude. Assisting you in administering the bhakti medicine is so fulfilling. Thank you, Gurudeva, for always showing, by example, how to lead a simple and happy life—absorbed in hearing, chanting, and giving Krishna to others.

I love being in your personal association—not just because I love to travel—but because wherever you are, the atmosphere becomes thick with Krishna prema. You bring everyone together, helping them rise above the mental platform and get absorbed in hearing and chanting. Because you genuinely love being with devotees and hearing about Krishna, it’s not artificial; it’s simply who you are—a pure devotee.

At Gita Nagari, Ananta naga and I’s fun morning routine was rushing to the temple for mangal arati before you. Your advanced age and decades of international travel doesn’t prevent you from being precisely on time to see your beloved Sri Sri Radha Damodara and inspire the Gita Nagari residents in the early hours of the morning. How endearing this is!

One day at Gita Nagari, I saw you stop during a walk to straighten a signpost. It seemed like an insignificant gesture, but it left an impression on my heart—just like your magnificent outreach efforts, renowned throughout ISKCON. Gita Nagari, Srila Prabhupada’s farm project, developed by your dear godbrother Bhakti Tirtha Swami, is also very dear to you and a project you take very seriously. I heard one time you were insisting the management install security cameras on the alter, you rang one day to follow up on the progress with the special Gurudeva pressure to speed up the process. The next day an incident occurred where someone hopped onto the alter to help themselves to Damodara’s peacock feather.

You take great care of everything under your responsibility—whether it’s a person or a project. You are serious about both.

How fortunate I am to be under your loving care.
You took care of me when I was a deranged teenager who stumbled, by causeless mercy, into Bhakti Lounge. I can hardly believe you and the devotees took me seriously!
During my first darshan, I bowed at your lotus feet, sat up, and cried.
You cared for me so diligently as I went through the ashram in my twenties, encouraging whatever little service I could offer while trying to clean myself up. Hearing from Krishnaloka that I had issues sleep talking and walking, you gifted me your own Nrisimhadev deity and later a Nrisimha kavcha from Mayapur.
You instilled in me through personal meetings and classes the importance of taking Krishna consciousness seriously, just as you do.

In my thirties, you carefully and patiently guided me into the Grihastha ashram, even though I was a pain in the neck hanging on to my own ideas of marriage. You went on to encourage Ananta Naga and me to approach life’s decisions diligently and seriously, just as you do.
Now, in my early forties, you still continue to care for us.

Like that signpost at Gita Nagari, I too get bent out of shape at times, needing my spiritual master's loving care to straighten me out. I offer my heartfelt obeisances unto you and everyone who has assisted you in taking care of me.

I beg a small favour from you, Gurudeva, on this most auspicious day of your appearance: if you don’t mind, please help me appreciate your care in all its forms—not just the ‘too sweet to resist,’ loving care but also the ‘too hot to handle’ care. Allow me to truly deserve to be your servant and take seriously the great fortune you have given me. I desire to have the intelligence to see how we can best assist you at any given time and take advantage of your personal association while we have it.


Your spiritual daughter and servant,
Gokul lila dd

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to you.

On this auspicious day of your Vyasapuja, I wish you good health and pray to Lord Krishna that you continue to serve Srila Prabhupada’s mission with great enthusiasm.

Looking back, I see that for the most part of my life I was going through the motions, whether at school, college, work or home. Modern society had made me so dull headed that even though I understood my material pursuits were not coming from my heart and were ultimately making me miserable, I simply carried on because I did not know what else to do with myself.

Reading Srila Prabhupada’s book, Life comes from Life, given to me by a book distributor, convinced me that there is a God, who is a person and that He has a plan for me. How excited I felt after reading that book. It even equipped me to argue with my atheistic friends about the existence of God. Some years later I had the opportunity to attend my first retreat at the Hare Krishna farm, where you were the guest speaker. Since then the little spark that lit in my heart from reading Srila Prabhupada’s book, has been continuously fanned by your merciful association.

You often quote from Srila Prabhupada’s purport in SB 1.8.42 ‘Seeing in the darkness is not seeing. But seeing by the light of the sun means to see the sun and everything else which was unseen in the darkness’. You are that sun in my life who helps me understand Srila Prabhupada’s books so I can see my existence for what it is and what it is meant for.

Recently I could not contain my excitement when I read Srila Prabhupada’s purport in SB 3.15.46, ‘Because the Kumaras were sons of Brahma, they had the opportunity to learn Vedic knowledge from the Disciplic succession of Brahma, and therefore, in spite of their impersonalist beginnings, they became in the end, direct seers of the personal feature of the Lord”. I thought Wow! This is my destination also. You have connected me to the Disciplic succession of Brahma and one day I will also see the Lord face to face. A dull headed person, living an aimless life, wasted mostly in performing Kaliyuga activities, is now standing in a queue (which may be millions of lifetimes long, but never the less) to see the Lord face to face. This is the mercy of my spiritual master.

sri-guru karuna-sindhu
adhama janara bandhu
lokanath lokera jivana
ha ha prabhu koro doya
deho more pada-chhaya
ebe jasa ghushuk tribhuvana

This mercy cannot be expressed here in adequate words and can never be fully comprehended by my tiny self. As you say, Srila Prabhupada has given us the ticket, we should not drop it. I pray that I always remain in the association devotes. It is by their desire that you came in to my life. I hope to always serve them and not make offences. Please give me the strength and intelligence to always serve you and please you.

Your servant
Gokula Sundari devi dasi.

Dear Guru Maharaj,

On this most sacred day of your divine appearance, I offer my humble obeisances and deepest gratitude at your lotus feet. Your life is a continuous expression of Srila Prabhupada's mission, tirelessly inspiring and guiding countless souls on the path of Krishna consciousness. Your wisdom, kindness, and tireless efforts in spreading the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita around the world are a source of constant inspiration.

I am especially blessed to have had the opportunity to meet you at the Gita Nagari Farm. In that serene and spiritually charged atmosphere, your presence made the farm feel like an even more sacred place. You embodied the essence of simple living and high thinking that Gita Nagari stands for, reminding all of us that spiritual life and sustainability go hand in hand. Through your discourses and personal interactions, you showed how we can align our lives more closely with Krishna's will, living in harmony with the earth while deepening our devotion.

The moments spent with you at Gita Nagari left a lasting impression on me. Your instructions on living a purposeful, Krishna-centered life, free from unnecessary distractions, still guide me in my daily practices. Your ability to connect with us on such a personal level, even amidst the broader mission you are tirelessly working for, gave me hope and strength in my own spiritual journey.

On this most auspicious day, I pray to always remain under your shelter, striving to serve your mission with sincerity and dedication. Please bless me with the determination to follow your instructions, deepen my commitment to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, and develop a heart filled with compassion and humility, just as you have demonstrated.

Thank you, Maharaj, for being a source of light and inspiration in this material world. Your guidance is a precious gift, and I will forever be indebted to your mercy and care. May you continue to bless this world with your transcendental wisdom for many years to come.

Your aspiring servant,
Gopa Bhav Das/Shakhi Bhav DD/Jisnu/Sudama

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda
All glories to your lotus feet

One of the qualities of a pure devotee is that they focus on the essence of everything—sāram—which is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Endowed with this divine quality, they think, speak, or sing only about that essence. Such devotees are therefore known as sāraṅga—"sāraṁ gāyati iti sāraṅga," meaning "one who sings the essence." In this context, it is said "sāraṅgāṇām padāmbujaṁ," that His lotus feet are the refuge of pure devotees, who never speak or sing of any subject except His Lordship (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.11.26). A similar statement is found in "sāraṅga iva sāra-bhuk," referring to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who was a realist like a bee that accepts only the essence of a flower (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.18.7).

Śrīla Prabhupāda, being a sāraṅga devotee, was entirely focused on this essence as he established the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement worldwide. His purports, general instructions, words, and actions were centred on this essential truth. Every purport in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books reiterates our eternal connection to Kṛṣṇa, the importance of bhakti, and the ultimate goal of returning home, back to Godhead.

Your focus on Kṛṣṇa, the essence, shines through in your words and actions. In your instructions to your disciples, you get straight to the point with simple, clear, and concise guidance that is both practical and life-changing. You consistently convey what is best for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness of your disciple at that particular moment and for the future. I’ve personally experienced this many times. For example, when I was a relatively new devotee, having been initiated for just a few years, I expressed my desire to read the commentaries of various ācāryas. You asked, "Have you realized the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad-gītā?" My answer was no. However, several years later, you sent me some commentaries on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by other ācāryas to read, indicating that the time was right.

Despite your busy schedule, I have often seen you listening to Śrīla Prabhupāda's lectures and reading his books. One of your god-brothers once mentioned that you know how to "disappear from the scene" to make time for your reading. On one occasion, you even remarked that "lack of time is not an excuse for not reading" and that reading is a part of being busy. You often remind us of the importance of studying Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, noting that it is crucial for understanding the Rādhā-tattva presented in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. When answering questions, you always make it a point to understand the exact issue the questioner is facing, avoiding hypothetical discussions. Your answers are always direct and impactful. In your lectures, you distill the essence of the teachings, focusing on the practical realities of life without delving into overly technical details.

You are renowned for your success in preaching to western communities, and the essence of that success lies in your focus on distributing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, supporting these devotees in their reading, chanting, and guiding them to lead a lifestyle that is conducive to spiritual growth, all within an environment suited to their needs. You present the essence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a relatable manner, making it accessible to everyone.

Your absorption in Kṛṣṇa inspires me to advance in my Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and I deeply desire to develop an attraction for Kṛṣṇa and serve Him with love and affection. I pray that I can progress beyond the neophyte stage of bhakti. I have no qualifications, but with your mercy, anything is possible and I depend on that.

Your Servant,
Gopa-Vṛndeśa Dāsa

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your vyasa puja.

Whilst reading Sivarama Swami's Nava-vraja Mahima I particularly liked a compilation of prayers that Sivarama Swami has compiled, that are mostly from Yamunacharyas 'Stotra Ratna' and the 'Krishna karnamrita'. I try and Recite this prayer everyday for my own bennefit.

I have based my offering on these prayers.

Dear gurudeva Please forgive me for my lack of faith in religious principles, and my lack of transcendental spiritual knowledge. Furthermore, how much real devotion do i really have?

I am totally useless with no real skills or talents to offer. I am like a sleepwalking&nbsp; person often neglecting the ultimate goal of the human form of life.

In this way I always cheat myself. You however are the deliverer of the&nbsp; fallen, and I am but an insignificant fallen soul.

O magnanimous Gurudeva! You are the ultimate goal of my life
I can only hope one day to achieve your lotus feet. I take shelter of you for you are my eternal lord and I am your servant.

Please bless me with ultimate tolerance 🙏

For there is no sin in this world that I have not already committed thousands and thousands of times. The results of those sinful activities are bearing fruits and draging me down in this material ocean.

May I become free from the desire to be honoured by others.

I always transgress the injunctions of the vedas, I am proud, sinful, envious, degraded, ungrateful and&nbsp; fickle minded.

Moreover I am controlled by lust and am always cheating others. O my lord, in such a condition how will I cross this ocean of material suffering and become a servant of your lotus feet.

Following the vedic injunctions living entities take birth in this material world again and again.

I may also take birth again according to my past activities or by the supreme Lords will. I pray that if I do so let it be in the house of your servant even as a worm.

I will be more satisfied with such a birth than one in which I can enjoy the most opulent goats cheese, avocardos and honey, if I took birth in the house of one averse to you. With joined palms I offer you this humble prayer.

Dear gurudeve please bestow upon me mercy in the form of your sidelong glance or the sweet sound of your transcendental voice.

Dear gurudeva, when you are pleased with me it does not matter weather others are displeased or not. But when you are displeased, what bennefit do I gain even if others are pleased ?

Thank you for your lectures, your personal instructions and your unconditionally loving association.

Whatever good I do is by your grace.
Please excuse my faults.

Your servant

Gopi ramana dasa

Hare Krishna, dear Gurudeva.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.


Dear Gurudeva,
Your causeless mercy comes upon us in a very wonderful way.
We are very fortunate that you come more often here in Bulgaria and you give us the happiness and sweetness of associating with a pure Vaisnava like yourself. This is a dream come true and also great honour !

“Therefore, O completely sinless ones, I ask you to kindly tell me what the supreme good is. After all, even half a moment’s association with pure devotees within this world of birth and death is a priceless treasure for any man.”
SB 11.2.30

Thank you for sheltering me and my family!
Thank you for your transcendental instructions!
Thank you for reminding us that we shouldn’t take our problems in this world so seriously and we should aim for quality chanting.

Looking forward seeing you next year in Bulgaria!

Forever grateful,
Your servant,
Gopi-gitāmrita devi dasi

Hare Krishna Dear Maharaja.
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you, I wish you a very happy vyasa puja today.

Today I am thinking about your ability to kindly encourage everyone who meets you, whether in small or big endeavours you inspire everyone to try their best to serve Krishna.
You gently and kindly help others as they offer their efforts and contributions. Thank you for inspiring me to give my best in serving Krishna and remembering His pastimes.
This year, I acted in the Shyamantaka Jewel pastime with some of my friends, one of the roles I played was Jambavan, it was a little bit hard at first but as I practiced it got easier and allowed me to meditate on Jambavan’s prayers to Krishna, remembering Him as Lord Rama, all his wonderful qualities and Jambavan’s Love for the Lord, they were very beautiful prayers.
Thankyou for encouraging me and my family to serve Krishna.
Please kindly bless me and help me to become the best devotee I can be.
Thank you so much,
Your servant Gopikaa

Hare Krishna Dearest GuruMaharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All Glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance

One of the qualities of a devotee is that "He is Expert" and you are expert at whatever you do, especially with preaching. You always preach to people according to time, place and circumstances . You make Krishna consciousness very simple and show that it can be followed even in the current day and age

In one of the lectures that you gave years ago in Ukaraine ,you were insisting on the importance of chanting and in that context you mentioned "Krishna consciousness is not that difficult, if we just give Krishna the basic decency that we give to other person" . When I heard this, I was really mesmerized by your expert preaching and how You make KC practical and easy to follow

You are an expert at guiding devotees. once during a personal darshan I asked a question about achieving balance in my service and taking care of my kids. You expertly explained how having balance is like steering a car wheel, when you see it going too much on to one side, you have to steer it and get it back to the right position. Thank you GuruMaharaj for taking the austerity of travelling all around the world to give us your personal association and the opportunity to serve you.

You are expert at sowing the seed of importance and faith in the holy name in everyone's heart. Once you mentioned " you are as good as your chanting". In every opportunity you insist on the importance of chanting with attention and the need to take shelter of the holy name. This shows your faith, taste and attachment to the holy name. Please give your blessing that I hold on to "attentive chanting" as my lifetime career and until my last breath strive towards that goal with heaps of patience, determination , enthusiasm, humility and tolerance.

You are an expert at expressing gratitude. You always insist on the importance of gratitude in our life and You always walk your talk. I have observed that you take notice of any simple service a devotee has rendered and always thank them. You also mentioned that ,you always take opportunity to thank the devotees who have helped you in your Krishna consciousness


I'm ever grateful to you GuruMaharaj for accepting me as your disciple for guiding me through Vapu and Vani and for tolerating and encouraging me in spite of my weakness and shortcomings. I pray that I express my gratitude to you in action by making my mind and heart one with your mission of giving Krishna to others and selflessly caring for devotees.

As years pass by I can see that to continue and grow in my Krishna Consciousness journey I need to grow deeper in what I'm doing. In the Bhakthi Bhava book you beautifully mention " putting your heart into service means concentrating, taking care - even if this makes you feel inconvenienced, Then your spiritual life ascends". Attention is something that I struggle with, I seek your blessings to help me to concentrate on the service that I do, so my spiritual life can start to ascend

guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koribo aikya,
ār nā koriho mane āśā
śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati,
je prasāde pūre sarva āśā

on this most auspicious day I seek your blessings to continue in the journey of my Krishna consciousness with full enthusiasm. Let my heart be filled with gratitude, with deep humility let me serve the holy name and Vaishnavas, let your words go deeper in my heart and purify my consciousness and let me not fall down in Maya.

Always seeking the shelter of your divine lotus feet.

your servant and daughter
Gopipremamrita devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

Just like a candle doesn't shine under the sun, so I don't have enough words to glorify your Divine Grace. Somehow by your causeless mercy I am able to relish the nectar of Shri Vrindavan Dham, even though I am most lowly and unqualified. Please always keep me under the shadow of your lotus feet and please forgive my offences committed knowingly or unknowingly at your lotus feet. I thank you again and again for your merciful glance towards me.

Your unworthy servant,
Gosthendra Nanda Das

nama om vishnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine

pracare purva-daksyam ca bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah

Hare Krishna dear Gurudev&nbsp;

Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances at your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupada&nbsp;

Wishing you a happy Vyasa Puja.

Hope this meets you in good health.

Gurudev, while thinking to glorify you, I learned that I am not a devotional person and haven't reached anyway near your expectations. So, in conclusion not qualified to write anything due to covering of impurities and contaminated heart. However, since it is expected, so trying atleast externally.

Scriptures glorify a Vaishnava Guru perpetually. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur declared boldly that a Vaishnava is greater than Brahmana. Srila Prabhupada displayed perfect Vaishnava qualities. Thinking about your pure self, all Vaishnava qualities can be seen and felt in your lifestyle. Your mood of preaching the message of Lord Caitanya, in parellel to Srila Prabhupada is very attractive; so you are seen lecturing tirelessly with Krishna absorbing katha. Your Kirtans have so much energy that I felt tired while dancing but you are just divinely powered to sing and dance without a stop.

Gurudev, you are so kind to entangled beings and your disciples that you personally like to know their situations and personal needs. You are glorified for paying your attention and kind heart to your disciples. Though I am not your heart-following disciple, I have personally gotten your personal intervention in my both material and spiritual life several times. I remember, in Melbourne I used to preach so that I could inform you by email or in person about my book distribution and preaching efforts. You used to lovingly, as a father, motivated me for contributing in Lord Caitanya's mission. I don't do much anymore and so I am extremely fallen.

I know you are merciful and always forgiving. I am begging you to bless me and keep a check on me so that I could progress in Bhakti-life.

Holding your feet and seeking your blessings.

Your untrue follower
Govinda Darsana dasa

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances on to your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you.

It is very heart touching to see how much inconvenience you go through to share Krishna Consciousness with others. This year while travelling from Australia to Europe via Delhi, your flight was delayed by a few hours. By the time you arrived home, you were so exhausted, you did not even eat anything. Yet the next day you were having meetings all day, serving and meeting people, before you took your next flight in the night.

You have dedicated your life in fulfilling Srila Prabhupada's mission and just like him you are concerned about everyone’s spiritual well-being and take time out to have that personal connection with your disciples and anyone who is interested in Krishna Consciousness.

Your purity, absorption and dedication to help others in Krishna Consciousness is very contagious and inspiring. The vision of seeing you entering the lecture room at the Hare Krishna Valley in Melbourne for the first time in 2006 is still fresh in my eyes and meeting you is the best thing that has ever happened in my life.

I had heard that you need a guru in your life, but I always wondered where and how am I going to find a guru. That day at the retreat, hearing your lecture, I was so inspired and fascinated that I decided you will be my spiritual master.

I am very fortunate that you allowed me to take your shelter. Just meditation on your activities and service gives me strength, support and relief in difficult situations.

Please bless me that I can always be engaged in devotional service under your guidance.

I pray to lord Narasimha Dev to always protect you and keep you healthy and safe.

Your servant,
Govindakund devi dasi

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasa-puja!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your auspicious shelter is my only benediction in this life; it’s the driving force behind my fortunate position as a jiva aspiring to surrender my life at the lotus feet of Krishna.

It is only by your mercy and guidance that I am able to render some service for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.

As I sit here in the Budapest temple, wandering this world, figuring out my life path, I am filled with gratitude for your shelter and guidance year after year. Although wandering this world materially confused, somehow or other, by your shelter, all the facilities to execute the duty of the human form of life are accessible to me.

It’s baffling how dangerous this world is. Thank you, Gurudeva, for being the foundation and inspiration to remain strong for so many devotees around the world. Your determination, devotion, expertise, organization, and dedication to Srila Prabhupada are exemplary in every regard.

You have given many of us the opportunity to perfect our lives through the strategies of outreach—in essence, the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Eternally indebted,

Your aspiring servant,
Hari-Bhakta dasa

Hare Krishna dear Gurumaharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabupada. All glories to you.

On this auspicious day of your vyasa puja, I wanted to share one of my meditations.

Recently, I have been meditating on a point - "Is Krishna biased or unbiased?" and I understand from sastras that Krishna is both. Krishna shows His 'greatness' when He behaves in an unbiased way and shows His 'sweetness' when He behaves in a biased way. On further contemplating, even though I appreciate Krishna's greatness, I love His sweetness more. This realisation became stronger when I expanded the same to you.

The fact that you gave me shelter despite all my faults, further went on to give initiation without me developing any real Vaishnava qualities and to further on protecting me everyday till date to remain at the least on the door step of being a devotee, I certainly conclude that you are biased and hence is Krishna. If you had waited for any good quality in me to show your mercy, I'm not even at the door step of KC today.

You travel around to show your compassion and giving anyone an equal opportunity to become a devotee is your 'greatness'. Also, you travel around to guide existing devotees (aspiring &amp; disciples) and care them and show them that I'm here for you is your extreme 'sweetness'. Even though, I appreciate in awe of your greatness, I'm not ashamed to selfishly glorify your sweetness more - as I'm the intended recipient of that love &amp; care. And yet, I'm only taking that love and hardly giving anything back!. I wish to change that behaviour. Srila Prabhupada says, 'Attention to detail is a sign of love'. In whatever little insignificant services I'm attempting, let me pay attention to go deeper and as an offering of token love to you.

On this auspicious day, I pray to Lord Narasimha dev to protect you, your health, and enable you to continue showering your love, care and compassion to many more lost souls. Let the five decades of 'greatness' and 'sweetness' go on for a very very long time here and eternally for your dear Srila Prabhupada.

I take this opportunity to thank you for all your love and recommit my initiation vows and beg for your mercy in fulfilling them.

with love &amp; gratitude,
Harinamamrita das

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. A glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am not sure whether I am qualified to render an offering. However, I still try.

I didn't have much conversation with you. All I received from you are the instruction of chanting attentively, and to focus more on spiritual development. By remembering your instructions I try to keep the connection with you.

Thank you very much for accepting this guilty me. This is all because of your causeless mercy. You devoted yourself and set a good role model, always trying to satisfy Srila Prabhpada by serving his mission to spread Krishna Consciousness and to save people out of this prison. You make him happy by delivering conditioned souls. What can i do for you? I don't deserve even to have a chance to serve you. Just little speculation maybe it will give you pleasure if I can be molded and shaped by you moving forward to becoming a good devotee one day.

I am so lucky to meet you in this lifetime. Thank you very much for your mercy. Let me bow down to your lotus feet.

Haylia Esther.
1 Sep 2024.

Dear Devamrita Swami,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

All glories to you on your Vyasa Puja Day.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Maharaj, Thank you for your teachings, I feel fortunate to have your support and the support of all the devotees. Day by day my appreciation increases, as I realize the mercy I have received which allows me to learn and apply the Vaisnava teachings. Thank you Maharaj for giving us your association.

May the reading of Srila Prabhupada’s books bring us closer to Krishna.

Your aspiring servant,

Howard Lucas.

Dear Gurudeva

With humility and gratitude, please allow me to offer my obeisances at your lotus feet in this day of your auspicious appearance.


You, who guide me on the path of Bhakti, dispel the darkness of ignorance. Through your wisdom and compassion, I seek liberation from my limitations and the unfolding of my highest potential as a servant for you and your dear most Srila Prabhupada.

It has been an extraordinary privilege to assist you recently in Vrindavan dham. Witnessing you embody the essence of tridanda-sannyasa—your mind fixed on Krishna, your words centred on Krishna, and your senses engaged in serving Krishna—has been both humbling and inspiring.

Over the years, I love to observe your bhakti intensity through out my travels with you. This year in Vrindavan whilst lying awake in the room beside yours, I heard you again speaking to Krishna and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, even as you slept at night! It is awe-inspiring to know that even in your dreams, you continue to serve Krishna. In the early hours of the morning, I heard you blissfully singing to yourself— “I’m living in Vrindavan” which filled the air with sweetness, reflecting the deep joy that comes from your connection to the holy dham.

During the day, as you give darshan to an endless stream of devotees, your warmth and presence touch every heart. You spoke on Krishna’s pastimes in the Krishna Balarama temple which was profoundly absorbing, enriching the entire audience with transcendental nectar. And then I was moved to see your eager participation in BB Govinda Swami’s kirtan, chanting and rejoicing in the association of your dear god brother.

In Govardhan you embraced the association of Bhurijan Prabhu and took the opportunity to chant jappa at the foot of Giriraj. As you concluded your chanting we walked to where Bhurijan was giving a lecture and I caught him remark that in the Philippines Srila Prabhupada said he wanted to deliver all the living entities in the universe. Upon hearing this, I thought of you and your tireless efforts as his surrendered servant, working to fulfill his divine wish. You must be so dear to Srila Prabhupada, having dedicated over five decades to his service.


Wherever I went with you, it seemed you were always absorbed in Krishna. Therefore, it feels as though wherever you go, you are always in Vrindavan. Even while sitting next to you at the airport, I heard you listening to Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes through your earphones, further demonstrating your immersion in the spiritual world.

When we left Noida for New Delhi airport, the driver requested that next time you visit Delhi, you should come to Haridwar, where Lord Ramachandra performed some pastimes. With a big smile and firm conviction, you responded, “I only go to two places—Mayapur and Vrindavan!”

Gurudeva, you are truly a Vrindavan man, with your focus fixed on the ultimate destination. Your intense eagerness infects all of us, drawing us closer to the goal of life.

Srila Rupa Goswami describes this eagerness as one of the symptoms of bhava-bhakti: “samutkanta,” the intense longing to attain Krishna. Your example of unwavering determination and love for the holy dham inspires me to cultivate the same desire in my heart.

You told me that you like to know about the science of the holy dham, and you called it— “dhamology”. And then you went on to explain how Mayapur and Vrindavan are non-different. Therefore you are only aiming at the top most destination of the spiritual world.

Dear Gurudeva whether in this world or the next, please take me back with you to serve in Vraja. I am deeply grateful to witness your devotional life, which is a living testament to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for constantly showing us, through your words and actions, how to remain absorbed in Krishna consciousness, wherever we may be.

I pray your teachings take root in my heart, and may my every thought, word, and action reflect the purity of your guidance. I offer this in devotion, surrendering to your grace.

Your aspiring servant

Hriman Krsna Dasa

Dearest Gurudeva!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this special day of your appearance.

Another vyasa puja day has come, another offering, and for a disciple it’s always an uplifting experience to glorify the spiritual master, and meditate on the divine qualities of the guru.

This year, I want to go back in a time a bit. Actually, I’m starting my offering now on the 28th of May. You just left Budapest, I just said my last goodbye to you a few hours ago. You will come back in a few days, you’re going to Ukraine now, but unfortunately I won’t be in Hungary when you return, and I won’t be able to see you again. So now as I’m full of emotions and gratitude, I want to put these feelings and thoughts into my offering.

Everything a spiritual master say or do is transcendental, and is not from this material realm. The last thing you said to me was that you liked the dessert I made for you, and you asked what was it made of. Only these simple words and compliments filled my heart with happiness and ecstasy so deep that I’d never experienced before.

Every year I realize more and more, how humble, how incredibly intelligent, how wonderful you are, and I’m extremely fortunate that you accepted me as I am. It’s always mysterious for me: I can only see you once a year, but those few days are pure magic, and can’t be compared to anything else in the world. You teach and lead with your every movement, with every word. I’d like to mention a short story about that, that happened during Narasimha Caturdasi festival here in Hungary, when I was serving you.

Unfortunately I’m so uneducated in spiritual life, and I have no devotion, I always think of myself, I’m so self-centered, and also, like everytime when you come to Hungary, I was thinking: “oh my god, Krishna please, I wish Gurudeva would give me a personal instruction, I wish he would ask something from me, and I could be special.”
It was the same this year. Then one day, Kamalaksa prabhu and I were sitting in your room in Krishna valley, you just finished eating your morning fruits, you stood up and turned to me: Isa Sanga! Could you do something for me?
And I was like: yes! My time has come! Finally a personal instruction just for me! I can’t wait to do somehing big for my spiritual master, so then he could compliment me and I could feel special. I said: of course Gurudeva!
And you said: I just dropped a piece of strawberry under the table by accident, can you please collect it? You’re so much more flexible than I am.

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself: you taught me to be a humble servant just with one instruction. You read my mind. You saw I wanted to be special, I wanted to give you some external proof that I loved you and most importantly, I was becoming proud, and you saw it, and corrected me with love, care, and without judging or criticism. You showed me that an instruction can be small or big, it’s equally important, and glorious. Then I crawled under the table quickly to find that strawberry.

You radiate happiness and laughter everywhere you go, and one thing I always remember when I think of the times when I had darshan with you: I never complain or vent in your presence. I always have a list of things in my head that I want to tell you about, or ask you, or just complain, but as soon as I see you, or talk to you, it all goes away, it all seems very irrelevant, and you fill my heart with happiness and enthusiasm for Krishna Consciousness. You always say something that is a solution for one of my problems, or doubts, and I don’t even have to ask, somehow you really read my mind and know everything before I even say.

In one sense the relationship between a guru and disciple is completely transcendental, and cannot be compared to any other mundane relationship, but at the same time it still requires effort, care and affection. Although you’re the dearest, most important person in my life, I feel like I haven’t been able to express any effort, care and affection, that you deserve.
I’m always anxious that you’re far away (there are roughly 12 000 miles between Hungary and New Zealand, where you’re based). I’m anxious mostly because I feel like I can’t do anything for you, I don’t make you satisfied. And Prabhupada mentions it not once, but many times that geographycal closeness is a major factor to consider when you choose a spiritual master. What could be Krishna’s plan, that I’m so far away from you? How could I serve you better? How can I do anything for you to make you satisfied and happy? How can I be sure that you don’t feel any regret because you accepted a fallen person like me, and how can I know that I’m not a burden with my small efforts?

Then I realized something. There are so many other ways to serve. We are never disconnected.
I’m serving you all the time by setting a good example for newcomers in Krishna Consciousness. I’m serving you in my dealings with my godfamily, and how I treat other devotees, because as your disciple, I’m representing you. I’m serving you when I distribute books, or when I’m offering aratis. I’m serving you by following the principles, or by trying to be a good devotee of Krishna. I’m serving you when giving a class, when I dress up nicely in vaishnava clothes, when I’m doing my work, when I’m preaching, because somehow all of my motivation and goals lead to the desire to satisfy you.

Dear Gurudeva, even if I fail to express it properly, and I don’t have the words for it, I just want to tell you that you’re the center of my existence. I can serve because of you, I can learn because of your unlimited mercy. I want to hope that one day I could return everything you gave me, but I know I’m forever indebted to you.

Please give me your blessings and keep me in your service, and at your lotus feet.

Your insignificant servant
Isa Sanga Devi Dasi

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaj. Please accept my humble obeisancess. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you and your devotional service.

On the occasion of your most auspicious Vyasa-puja we would like to offer you our deepest gratitude and appreciation. We can spend hours discussing your qualities, character and activities. Gallons of ink would be spent to write them down. We would need days and weeks in order to go through the vast library containing the stories of those devotees that received your mercy, witnessed your devotional service and felt your pure devotional mood. Moreover, when we finish this library there will be plenty more stories awaiting us, because you never stop your pure devotional service.

Thank you for emphasizing on the difference between karma-yoga and bhakti-yoga and encouraging and guiding us towards full surrender to the will of Krishna.

Thank you for establishing the much-needed mood of gratitude towards the devotees. In your lectures you stress the point – “If a devotee does something for you, never fail to thank him and show your gratitude every time you meet him.”

Thank you for showing us what is important in life. Your lectures are like a perfectly prepared meal that balances between the salty, vivid examples of the betraying nature of material associations, activities and aspirations and the sweet nectar of the ever fresh, blissful and inspiring devotional service and Krishna katha.

Thank you for always reminding us that the only puruficatory aspect in our lives is the devotional service. Without it, we will remain filthy, foolish two-legged animals barking at each other.

Thank you for encouraging us with our humble attempts in preaching Krishna consciousness and distributing Srila Prabhupadas books. Although not very successful, we see them as our most important activities and we cherish every time you speak about them.

Guru Maharaj, we are humbly begging you – please let us become part of the sankirtana mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and never leave it. Please, let us become honest, faithful, humble and enthusiastic followers of Srila Prabhupada. You can fulfil our desire, because you are always aligned with the mood, desire and instructions of Srila Prabhupada and because there is not a single activity of yours that is not serving the interest of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His sankirtana mission.

trying to be your servants,
isvara candra dasa and candrika dd

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to your most auspicious appearance day! All glories to you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

“I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.”

The vast majority of countless living entities in the material world are simply drowning in an ocean of ignorance, even while often priding themselves with so-called knowledge, advancement, and sophistication. Only after encountering the extreme good fortune of hearing from a bona fide representative of the Absolute Truth can such blinded living beings begin to see the light.

Yet at least for such stubborn conditioned souls like myself who only half-heartedly accept the perfect instructions coming from such a glorious guru parampara through the spiritual master and his representatives, the polluted, flickering mind is still often not fully clear how to tread the path of light through the darkness.

Guru Maharaja, as a symptom of your being under Krishna’s internal potency, on the other hand, for you everything seems to be always clear.
You shared, for example, that when for the first time you read Srila Prabhupada’s purports to the 13th chapter of the 10th Canto for your editorial service, it was immediately painfully clear for you that these were the last Bhaktivedanta purports.

Similarly, some time before that, when your body had stopped cooperating with your intense desire to please Srila Prabhupada by distributing his books, and after coughing all day you were still pushing yourself out onto the street, at one point you had to pray to Krishna to give you the strength to approach a person passing just by you and you immediately understood that that would be your last book distributed on the streets of New York.

Even when you found yourself surrounded by devotees doubting and criticising and you apparently "didn't know" what to do about it, you were still clear that you at least didn't want to criticise anyone and you prostrated yourself in the dust of Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet in his murti form in full surrender.
To have such clarity is only possible by being in perfect sync with the will of the supreme manifestation of sac-cid-ananda, Sri Krishna Himself. And that comes from your full surrender to and deep love for Krishna’s perfect emissary in this age of darkness, Srila Prabhupada.

On the strength of that you have been able to lead and give clarity to communities and thousands of individuals around the globe decade after decade. While others with some kind of vested interest would struggle to somewhat harmoniously serve in Srila Prabhupada’s mission, due to your unadulterated dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s will, you have been able to stay clear of any kind of politics and, not shying away from all sorts of personal inconveniences, rather simply expand Srila Prabhupada’s glorious mission more and more.

For miserly conditioned souls like myself it seems just normal to always seek the path of least resistance. You, on the other hand, have moulded your whole life purely on the basis of how you could best serve and please Srila Prabhupada which usually is not simply picking the low-hanging fruits but rather required maneuvering through all kinds of obstacles, dangers and opposition.

When Sri Caitanya Mhaprabhu asked the Tattvavadis about the goal of life and the means to attain it, their acarya proposed going back to Godhead as the sadhya and varnasrama dharma as the sadhana. Mahaprabhu heavily chastised them, establishing Krishna prema, irrespective of geographical location, as the ultimate goal, and sravanam kirtanam as the means. One of the verses He quoted was from the 6th Canto, spoken by Lord Siva to his wife, after they had just seen Citraketu Maharaja humbly accepting Mother Parvati’s cursing him to become a demon.ŚB 6.17.28:

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ&nbsp;sarve
na kutaścana bibhyati
svargāpavarga-narakeṣv
api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.”

Guru Maharaja, I would be greatly fortunate to even just get to hear about or see such a personality exhibiting pure devotion at every step of his life, but rather you have accepted me under your shelter. I can simply pray to you and Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha that somehow I may not remain a shameless wretch calling himself your disciple but rather a worthy follower and representative in whatever insignificant way possible.

Your unworthy servant,
Isvaresvara Das

Hare Krishna Gurudev.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja!


Today I reflect on what a heavy load you are carrying.
To have the responsibility of managing worldwide centres and temples and train and care for all of your many disciples; and that number continues to grow.
Who would willingly take on such a task? I asked myself. Stressful!

The only answer that made sense to me was, someone with a big heart and huge capacity to love.
Now I don’t know what love is exactly but as a new Mother I am getting glimpses and moments to realize that as I dedicate all my time and energy to serving my little one, my heart expands and so does my capacity to serve her.

Your love for your spiritual master and Lord Caitanya’s mission must be huge. You have done and are doing big things to continue to spread this movement. Completely surrendered to the will of Krishna and whoever He sends to help.

I am in awe of you.

Hearing about how you came to Krishna Consciousness and how you immediately knew after reading The Teachings of Prahlad Maharaj that this was the real thing is inspiring. You took the instructions and the mission to your core that you bravely travelled to preach behind the Iron Curtain. Again, who would willingly take on such a task?

You, Gurudev.
You’re showing what’s possible for one who seriously takes to the process of hearing and chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Thank you Gurudev.
I am under the shelter of the devotees and Krishna’s service because of your capacity to love.
The life I have today wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t accepted me as your disciple and given me the opportunity of a lifetime.

Indebted to you always.

Your servant,
Isvari Kesavi Devi Dasi

Dear Gurudeva, please accept my respectful obeisances at your lotus feet on this auspicious day of your appearance. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and Yourself.

The other day at work after listening to your lectures I had the realisation that nobody in this world cares for me as much as you do. Indeed I don’t even care for myself as much as you care for me.

You are giving me the most amazing opportunity to be part of your service to the Parampara even though I have no right for such opportunities. Recently service at your New Kulina project has been an opportunity that I am very grateful to have. While helping Krishna Prasad with the development of the farm I was reflecting how everyone is engaged in inter generational tyranny but you are leading the example of how one can live in such a way as to benefit all others. Not only have you dedicated your life to spreading spiritual sound vibrations but you are also developing sustainable farms and urban outreach centres which will continue to provide shelter and relief as well as opportunities for service long after you have left this world.

I’m so grateful that such places exist. Without them there would be no hope for me to do anything meaningful with my life. Being able to do the sound service for you is a great privilege and I hope that I can always be improving it for your pleasure.

The extent of your compassion is inconceivable to me. Your constant travelling and meeting with devotees to enliven them in Krishnas service is evidence of your surrender to Prabhupadas desire and the Bhakti you have as a result of such surrender.

In the purport of CC Antya 7.21
Prabhupada says “It is extremely difficult to convert a mleccha, or meat eater, into a devotee of Lord Krishna. Therefore anyone who can do so is situated on the highest level of Vaishnavism.”

When I look in our community here in Wellington as well as in Auckland I see so many devotees who have taken up devotional service because of you. You have the power to convert even the people drowning In the bottom of Kali Yuga. I beg that you continue to work your Krishna Magic on me so that one day I too can become a humble servant of the servant, and become spiritually wealthy so I can help people in a similar way on your behalf.

Thank you for all the classes you have given and continue to give. They give me sustenance and happiness, and inspire me to continue on when maya is calling. Your conviction lets me know that there is a higher reality which you are tasting and giving to us through your sound vibration. You make the pastimes of Krishna come alive, and allow me to experience them in a way which I haven’t experienced when reading on my own.

I hope that I can take more shelter of your Classes and instructions so that i can one day escape Maya and increase my service to you.

The aspiring servant of your servants,
Bhakta Jack.

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you!

What do you mean to me?

Well, I see you as someone who truly cares and nourishes my real identity- not the one smothered in ego, drama &amp; masks

Someone I trust who has my best interest at heart.

You mean something to me, although I cannot exactly explain in words.

You are a father, who I feel will not abandon me. Although I have done everything in my power to reject you.

But I cannot escape you

During my first Darshan with you, It felt as though i was meeting the sun for the first time.

When you're used to darkness, the light can seem suffocating.

But I took a deep breath and asked
"What are you?"

You smiled, "I am your servant"

I tilted my head "huh?"

You laughed melodiously &amp; explained that you are here to help get me closer to Krishna and all I need to worry about was "dancing &amp; singing in the Kirtan with all my heart"

So that's what I did- for over a year or so.

Until last November, I relapsed. And as a result of that (plus not listening to You or my Mentors instruction) my Mental Health took a turn.

But today, I see things differently, I am anew and relish the thought of dancing &amp; singing in your presence again soon. Krishna willing.

Dear Gurudeva, please accept me as your aspiring servant, despite my being unworthy of your mercy.

I vow to no longer push you away just because I'm afraid.
I vow to chant my rounds every day.
I vow to listen to your instruction ("Jade, you need to grow up")
I vow to let go of the baggage &amp; the old stories
I vow to try my best at bringing lost souls to you
I vow to no longer see you as an ordinary man

You've dealt with me with such honesty, care and compassion, how can I ever repay you?

I am indebted to you, eternally

~What I love about you~

I admire how you deal with the Outreach guests, leaving them somewhat quizzical &amp; curious to learn more.

I adore how expert you are at delivering instruction to your disciples and take such good care of them.

I love that you chastise me, it is much needed but especially on the day we met:

It was September 11th 2022- my first time at the Temple.

During morning class while you were reciting Srimad Bhagavatam, everyone was repeating the verse after you.... Well almost everyone.

I didn't know what was happening so I started singing my own tune "Laa la la laa la laa laa"

Afterwards you looked me dead in the eye and said "If you can't sing the verse then simply sing Hare Krishna"

I did my best not curl up into a ball and die of embarrassment.

Thank you so much for everything you do behind the scenes, there is so much I don't know about you, but I want to learn.

Strange Questions?
I'm too embarrassed to ask out loud

What is your favourite fruit? I'm guessing not fejoia
How is your health? You seem vibrant, is this true?
What year did you meet Prabhupada?
What was your first impression of Him?
And what was his impression of you?

Who was your first disciple? Are they still around?

Do you get dreams about Prabhupada, Krishna or your disciples?
*I have dreams about you

When you communicate with Srila Prabhupada, what kind of conversations do you have?
Does he ever chastise you? Or is he loving &amp; instructive?

How do you distinguish between the 'good eggs and the bad eggs' that come to your lotus feet?
Am I a bad egg?

Do you still have Prabhupadas letters? Oooh what are they like?

When was the moment you took initiation in your heart to Srila Prabhupada? What did you feel?

Was he fun &amp; gentle in ways? Did he roar at you often?

Final question- do you think it's possible that even the lower of the lowest of the low can aspire to become a bhakta?

Happy 74th earth birth to you, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have you and Srila Prabhupada in my life. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. I'm just excited to see you again!

Your crazy mungbean,

Jade

Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaj, Your Holiness

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the saviours of the fallen souls, Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda.

I have been reflecting recently on Lord Nityananda and how He extends mercy to the most fallen. In this age, I consider myself certainly among the most unworthy. Yet, by your grace, you have lifted me up, bringing me to the path of following the regulative principles and chanting the holy names of the Lord. This is a great miracle, one that is not due to any strength of my own, but purely through your mercy and the mercy of your devotees, who have rescued me from despair.

I can never repay this debt. My only hope is to patiently and persistently purify myself through service to the Vaishnavas, hoping that one day I may receive just a drop of your love for Krishna. In your recent Vyasa Puja, you glorified Srila Prabhupada and expressed your own desire for his love for Krishna. If I can receive just a drop of your drop of Srila Prabhupada's love for God, I will consider my life a success.

You are doing so much for the devotees, and your influence ripples from the spiritual world into this material one. Without your blessings, this world would indeed be grey.

All glories to you, exalted servant of Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you, devoted follower of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda.

Your eternal aspiring servant,
Jagat-pati das

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Nama om Vishnu Padaya Krishna -Presthaya bhutale
Srimate Devamrita Swami iti namine

Pracare purva-daksyam ca Bhaktacara-pravinata
Parathatapi karunyam Yasya sarve ca te namah

Please accept my humble and respectful obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet on your appearance day.
All glories to Srila Prabhpada.

All glories to you Gurudeva on this auspicious day of your appearance in this world.

I take this opportunity to share my heart-pouring gratitude to express my sincere feelings and sense of protection and loving reciprocation that I receive from you.

Because of your purity, dedication, sincerity and enthusiasm you are able to serve Srila Prabhupada and spread the Krishna Conscious movement across the globe.

When, I recollect your pastimes on how you choose this path of bhakti and the way you have surrendered to Srila Prabhupada is truly inspiring many souls and for me gives goosebumps.

It reminds me one of the powerful quote of Srila Prabhupada that what your one hour preaching will do that my books will transform a life of a person in a second. This is so apt in your life, that before even you personally met Srila Prabhupada, and not been recipient of fortune of devotees association you sincerely followed him by studying the scriptures straight 6 months 4 hours at a stretch, and how you contributed a huge donation to the temple construction even before you were a bhakta and how you later in short time joined the ashram, become a sankritan leader and later edited Srila Prabhupada books, especially editing CC in just two months in order to please and serve Srila Prabhupada desire. You dedicated your life without looking back and purely depended on just with an association from his divine grace in the form of sound vibration – HUMMMM.

You genuinely enquired the path of bhakti, whole heartedly surrendered to take the shelter of his divine grace and sincerely serving him. In your youth, during graduation days you had an earnest quest to seek spiritual solutions to all material problems of this world but you had failed to find any solutions. But later after 8 months of graduation when you first listened to Srila Prabhupada lecture sitting right in front of him hearing of Queen Kunti Maharani prayers you were still not convinced about how is all this going to solve material problems. But immediately when you hear Srila prabhupada thunder bolt answer, that if you are optimistic of this material world you are an animal only human being is pessimistic about this material life. This immediately made you feel like shower of rose petals, and you got all your answers and was very happy that this was the conclusion of your research to understand the fact that in this material world all problems are eternal. Srila Prabhupada finished his lecture by saying that but in Krishna Consciousness everything is optimistic. Your unflinching faith in Srila Prabhupada profound statements were the source of seeking his grace divine shelter which is an exemplary in this day and age of Kali yuga.

This shows how a service to Guru give Spiritual perfection as mentioned in -SB .3.7.19
yat-sevayā bhagavataḥ
kūṭa-sthasya madhu-dviṣaḥ
rati-rāso bhavet tīvraḥ
pādayor vyasanārdanaḥ

By serving the feet of the spiritual master, one is enabled to develop transcendental ecstasy in the service of the Personality of Godhead, who is the unchangeable enemy of the Madhu demon and whose service vanquishes one’s material distresses.

Lord sends a Spiritual master to train a devotee, and when the devotee is advanced the Lord acts as the spiritual master within his heart. Your are an empowered true soldier in the army of Srila Prabhupada and sincerely rendering services to His Divine grace. You imbibed the mood of Srila Prabhupada and with determination following in his footsteps to spread the glories of the Lord. Your love and dedication for distributing transcendental literatures, sharing glories of Krishna katha by your unique preaching style is the source of inspiration to many conditioned souls. Your fatherly loving compassion without discrimination of culture, creed, caste, colour, and country not only transforming everyone to take the shelter of Lord but also providing an opportunity by engaging them as instruments in the service of the Lord in the chain of disciplic succession.

This year marks almost 2 decades that I had personally met you. I can still remember fresh in my memory those heart-touching moments when I first met you in a retreat at Hare Krishna Valley in Melbourne. Just looking back, when I pinch myself, I can’t believe the kind of mercy that you have been showering upon this fallen conditioned soul.

Despite of my inabilities to serve you, you have affectionately tolerated my innocence, fatherly chastised me to learn and improve in my spiritual growth, as a master constantly guiding me with your loving shelter and compassionately showered your protection at times of difficulties in my personal life. Thank you for accepting me as your disciple and showering your mercy upon me.

ŚB 10.14.58

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is paraṁ padam, Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.
When hear this verse it gives me an assurance that just by in your shelter as Lord’s pure representative, I can easily cross this ocean of material miseries and overcome the clutches of maya.

It is said in CC Madhya 19.151

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

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 Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.

You have given me bhakti lata bija, and instructions to look after it but due to entanglements in this Grihastha ashram I’m not sufficiently looking after the creeper to grow and constantly battling with the unwanted weeds growing in my heart.

Guru Maharaj, on this day of your Vyasa-puja, please continue to shower your kind mercy to be in devotees association in whatever situation I have put into this material world. It is impossible to repay the debt to you with my squirrel-like attempts, to please you. But still, with great hope, on this special day, I beg to get the fortune of collecting a speck of dust from your lotus feet and trying to meditate on the mood of serving the servants of the servants of the Lord. I’m feeling very thirsty to seek your blessings to imbibe the instructions and apply them in my life to become a worthy disciple under your divine loving shelter.

I sincerely offer my prayers to Srisri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radhavallabha and Srisri Jaganatha, Baladeva and Subharamayi to give you a long healthy Krishna consciousness life so many fallen conditioned souls take your shelter.

Seeking your blessings

Your eternal servant,
Jahanavi Jivan dd

Dear Gurudeva,

On this occasion of your Vysa Puja, as a disciple this an opportunity to reflect, introspect and assess my contribution as a disciple of yours.

So let me start with saying the Melbourne congregation is seeing an exponential growth in recent times with the influx of scores of people taking up to Bhakti. This growth is leading to a period of churn and transition and its a stated fact that we have outgrown our physical resources to sustain this growth.

Our next generation is starting to ask questions around our ideas to scale up, our future footprint and most importantly our role in wider community.

Gurudev, I need your guidance during this period of transition, in terms of my role in this Melbourne chapter and mostly importantly how can sustainable growth be achieved for the next generation.

I continue playing a small role in growing the outreach and need your blessings.

Your Servant
Jaisacinandana Das

I love my spiritual master His Holiness Srila Devamrita Swami.. He is my guide, my teacher, my mentor, my coach &amp; corrector, my beloved father, my friend &amp; love, my oracle, redeemer &amp; saviour.
I am amazed at how you are always with me reminding me in Krsna consciousness.. After 20+ years now of consistently listening to your fun &amp; wonderful classes, &amp; putting all the key points to memory, I’ve found that wherever I am, whatever the situation, you are there; an authorised line from one of your classes will automatically come up relating to the current happening. You have done your job on this little soul here Gurudeva :) what magic! To transform a bewildered young Kiwi into an aspiring servant of Krsna’s dear devotees. Certainly a grand feat to restore a souls bhakti, thank you so much!

The spiritual master’s vista is so wide &amp; vast - to sync up &amp; align into that vision is most wonderful. It is like boarding a transporter that takes off down a runway; or embarking on a journey, setting forth onto a trek that leads to so many discoveries.. gradually seeing in the far yonder, new realms of possibilities, new hope &amp; new life. The spiritual master is integral for such a great trek, without which we are completely lost. Oh to keep fit &amp; well for this joyous adventure!

It was so nice to see you recently at the Loft, I feel blessed to have become a devotee of Krsna, thank you Gurudeva
Lovingly, James (aka Jimmy) Loft Auckland NZ

Dear Guru Dev,
Please accept my respectful obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to you, Guru Dev!

Gurudev, there is no limit to your compassion. In one of your lectures, you mentioned that you do not enjoy traveling, yet the very next day, you boarded a flight and continue traveling constantly, solely to give Krishna to the souls wandering aimlessly in this world.

Despite your busy schedule, you are always available to us. We have seen countless times how you guide us through emails, even for our trivial questions. It amazes us to receive replies from you sometimes within 30 minutes. Gurudev, you show us unlimited care, like a mother who, no matter how busy, is always there for her child.

Gurudev, I was fortunate to attend last year's Otaki festival, and it remains one of the most memorable events of my life. I was astonished to witness the love and devotion God family members shower upon you, and I had the opportunity to better understand the care, compassion, and selfless love you extend to everyone. During prasadam time, when you personally visited each of us, I was deeply touched by your love and care. Those moments are always in my heart, and I eagerly awaited them throughout the retreat.

Gurudev, some devotees mentioned that your unlimited blissful and affectionate nature becomes especially evident during the retreat. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp what they meant. But now, after attending, I can see that just as Krishna manifests differently in Vrindavan and Dwaraka, we can see your unlimited love and care. We sincerely hope to attend many more such retreats. Please bless us.

As Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport of Cc. Madhya 19.52:
"By the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, one meets the bona fide spiritual master, and by the mercy of the spiritual master, the disciple is fully trained in the devotional service of the Lord."

Gurudev, without your mercy, I could not even think of rendering devotional service. Although my service is full of faults and lacks pure intention, I pray that you will accept my tiny efforts and continue to guide me in the service I have begun by your mercy. With your blessings, we are making humble efforts in book distribution and we have also begun following your instructions by holding classes in our home, with the guidance and support of our God family. As you often remind us, "Krishna accepts the lowest and rewards the highest," and this is my only hope.

As Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings:
Gurudev!
Krpā-bindu diyā, koro' ei dāse,
tṛṇāpekhā ati hīna
sakala sahane, bala diyā koro',
nija-māne spṛhā-hīna

Gurudeva, O spiritual master! Give to this servant just one drop of mercy. I am lower than a blade of grass. Give me all help. Give me strength. Let me be as you are, without desires or aspirations.

Gurudev, please shower your mercy upon me. Grant me the strength to improve my sadhana and the services which I try.

Your aspiring servant,
Janmastami Das

Hare Krishna Gurudev,

I bow down a million times at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I pray to Sri Sri Krishna Balraam for your good health.

Gurudeva, you embody the timeless message of Lord Caitanya, carrying His divine teachings to every town and village across the globe. Your remarkable ability to travel the world within just the few summer months of the Northern Hemisphere this year left us in awe.

The grace with which you carry yourself and the eloquence with which you deliver the wisdom of the shastras captivates the hearts of all who are blessed to hear you. You remind us of the true purpose of this human birth and the path we must tread toward spiritual fulfillment.

Your gift of making the profound teachings of the scriptures simple and accessible is truly admirable. Both Subhadra and I felt immensely blessed to have received your darshan in Los Angeles. Your warmth and personal connection deeply humbled us, and we are forever grateful for the opportunity to be in your presence.

I aspire to serve you in this mission of preaching the glories of holy names of Radha and Krishna. Please bless this little servant of yours with mercy and a place at your lotus feet. I pray to be more useful in serving you and the devotees for eternity.

Your Aspiring Servant
Jayadvaita das

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj, рlease accept my humble obeisances.
All glory to Srila Prabhupada!

On the day of Your appearance I would like to share my thoughts on You. It is possible that thinking in this way is wrong, because my thoughts give a certain comparative estimate. Sometimes I even compared myself to Srila Prabhupada. Who and where am I now and who Srila Prabhupada was at that age?
Guru Maharaj You took the saniyas when You were 32. It tells me that You have a very strong intelligence. I wonder and am crushed why I still belive in material happiness at my 42 years!
The second thought about You that fascinates me is that You’ve been following Srila Prabhupada for 52 years! In this connection I recall the quotation of Srila Prabhupada, “Be pure devotee easy, but hard to become pure devotee!”
Thank You for Your example of how we should live. I hope that by Your grace I will also be able to follow You and Srila Prabhupada
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo ...

Your disciple is Jitamitra das.

Dearest Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Had you not come here down under
Across the Pacific to middle earth and beyond
I would still be a dull, small-minded frog
Not knowing what lies beyond this small pond

Your disciples, the angels of mleccha town
Attractive and glowing, unlike anyone else around
From mode of goodness I did not come
Yet your causeless mercy knows no bounds

Torchlight of knowledge you have switched on
To every town and village your disciples descend
From Auckland, Wellington and the Tron
Sharing how ignorance, fallen souls can transcend

Like Bhaktisiddhānta, forceful and bold
The truth you speak with no apology
Debunking the theories of the Kali-yuga ācāryas
Universal truths from the paramparā given freely

As Prabhupada said ‘Purity is the force’
Preaching according to time, circumstance and place
Your inconceivable activities reveal your favour
Despite the ocean of different opinion you face

Only pure bhakti gives rise to bhakti
And everywhere you go we see
The seed that is planted in the heart of so many
Your potency waters their bhakti-latā-bīja

Lord Caitanya’s mission is your raison d’être
You are the personification of that cause
Spreading the rays of the benedicting moon
Sharing your mercy without pause

As you serve your spiritual master to please
Clearly the ocean of nectar you taste
I pray your words become my life and soul
Your Divine Grace


Your servant
Jiva-śakti devi dasi

Dear Devamrita Swami
Please accept my respectful obeisances at your lotus feet.

I'm hoping one day I will be bragging to an appreciative devotee about how I not only lived on the planet at the same time as you but how I also got to meet you, hear live talks from you, watch you sing and lead kiratan, dance with your disciples and other followers in the extremely enthusiastic kiratans you led down in Otaki (usually just with the microphone and that handheld shaky instrument). Those kirtans were the most fun I've had in Krishna consciousness.

Even though you don't need to, you exhaust a lot of energy being physically present to maintain your New Zealand Krishna conscious followers. I owe you and your followers for so many auspicious happenings and changes in my life that I can't even conceive of. Thank you for all the exposure I've had to the ways of bhakti, it only happened because you invested so much time into the people in this country and especially your confidential disciples.

You're definitely a very rare soul according to what Krishna says. You have a unique attachment to Krishna consciousness and we are very lucky to have you, please help me appreciate this more as I grow older.
Thank you for always taking the time to read my small offering, or check up on me.

Your well wisher
Joel

Guru Maharaja,

I always find it odd that these writings on Vyasa Pujas are called “offerings.” After all, what is there, on any planet in this wretched material world, that I could possibly offer you? All good fortune, possessions, and even up to my very life is only due to your favor - how could I possibly find anything, let alone anything that is not so cheap so as to be insulting, to offer to you?
It is sometimes said that we should offer our hearts to the Spiritual Master and Kṛṣṇa. But in my case, that is the most unsuitable of anything that I can give. My heart is full of the contaminations of envy, lust, greed and every other miserable quality in existence. Even my execution of devotional service is marred by endless hankering for personal gain.
You, o master, are showing the effulgent path of pure bhakti. Even though I see that destination, I am so enamored by the glittering illusions of māyā, which are ephemeral as the phases of the moon, that I still run after material enjoyment at the cost of my own good fortune.
Even though I may never attain the supreme destination, please do not let me be led astray into thinking that anything else - social convention, the search for psychological wholeness, the dry academic learning of even lakhs of ślokas - is what actual bhakti is. I am so fallen that I may never make it out if my conditioned existence - the only thing that I may ask is that you do not let me go. As long as I must remain here, in forms of life as high as the devas or as low as an insect, may I remain your servant, birth after birth

The most fallen,
Kala-Svarupa Dasa

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine

Gurudev, on this auspicious day of your vyasa puja please accept my humble obeisances.

While listening to one of your recent classes about your treacherous journeys through Russia, I was inspired by a particular time when you accidentally started a class in a KGB members house with his son and few devotees.
1988, at a time when the KGB reigned unchallenged and fear loomed large, you embarked on a courageous journey to spread Krishna Consciousness—a true act of devotion to Srila Prabhupada. Without the slightest hesitation you crossed borders of many soviet nations, knowing very well that you were putting your own life at risk. You and Krishna Cheta Swami Maharaj soon raised to become experts in concealing paraphernalia across borders. In this process, you encountered countless challenges and daunting circumstances.

A new Russian devotee wanted to host a lecture at his house, he believed that his parents would be out for a few hours, excited you and a few devotees assembled in his house and started the class. When everything seemed to be going perfectly the door opened. In stormed the son’s mother, a former KGB member. She lined everyone up and scrutinized each devotee. While the others had fairer complexions, when she reached you, by Krishna’s grace, she failed to notice anything suspicious.&nbsp;As the opportunity came, you took it, you sprang out of the house and fled. However, for the poor son, he didn’t have the best time.

After sharing these experiences, you also spoke about the power of Hrishikesh, the controller of the senses which I also found inspiring. Because of his grace you escaped such a situation. Incidents like this didn’t stop you, you continued to secretly spread Krishna consciousness in Russia and its neighboring countries.

Your humble Servant
Kalyan
S/O Gauraranya das

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my respectful obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you on your most auspicious Vyasa Puja day!!

Last Vyasa Puja you addressed us all and mentioned that the real way to express our love is to show our gratitude to those who have helped us in our devotional service. You specifically told us that “I thank you” is the real expression of our love.

So Gurudev, I thank you for all that you have done for me.

I thank you for spending your precious time with me. Despite my lack of spiritual enquires you still agree to see me. Sometimes I feel that I am not worth your time.

However, you always know how to simultaneously destroy the ignorance in the heart and carefully nurture our weak creeper of devotion. I remember when I once had the opportunity to serve your morning fruits you saw me and exclaimed “Kamsari Sen we have your association again two days in a row. Either feast or famine!”

Being dull headed, you had to say this many times to make me realise how much you care for me. How fortunate I am to have your association!

<i>“Such relationship between the disciple and the spiritual master is eternal. One who is now the disciple is the next spiritual master. And one cannot be a bona fide and authorized spiritual master unless one has been strictly obedient to his spiritual master.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.43, purport)</i>

By your example you have shown me how to be a disciple simply by remaining a surrendered servant of Srila Prabhupada.

While hearing your podcast I remember you speaking about the Maha Prakash Lila. During the time Mahaprabhu was fulfilling the devotees devotional requests, one devotee asked the Lord “may I develop devotion for my spiritual master. Let the propensity for serving the lotus feet of my spiritual master increase.”

You then revealed your heart and said: “This is my prayer. That my propensity to serve the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada always increase, in spite of worldly obstacles.”

Being amazed at seeing your love for Srila Prabhupada I remember listening to that part again and again. Later, when reading Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, I came across a purport that I felt glorified your attachment to Srila Prabhupada:

<i>““A disciple who has actual love for his spiritual master is endowed, by the blessings of the spiritual master, with all confidential knowledge.” Srila Srīdhara Svami has commented that the word snigdhasya means prema-vataḥ. The word prema-vataḥ indicates that one has great love for his spiritual master.” (Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya Lila, 17.15)</i>

Naturally since you have unflinching faith in Srila Prabhupada all transcendental knowledge is revealed to you. I can clearly see this whenever you speak. Your ability to present Krishna Consciousness as you have heard it from Srila Prabhupada but in a contemporary way attracts the hearts and minds of all that hear you. Naturally I cannot help but desire to hear from you more and more. In this way I am sure I can free myself from forgetfulness of Krishna just as Prthu Maharaja declares in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

<i>My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee. (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.20.25)</i>

I thank you for delivering me from the clutches of material existence and giving me service to Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada and the guru-parampara.

Please bestow your mercy upon me so that I may continue to hear from you and assist you distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and in this way fulfill his mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness all over the world.

And taking the liberty to follow in your footsteps I also pray: “Gurudeva, may my propensity to serve your lotus feet always increase, in spite of worldly obstacles.”

Your servant,
Kamsari Sena dasa

Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha Mandir, Sydney

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to your service!

Reflecting on my bhakti journey under your care I can only feel love and gratitude.

When I first met you, having just recently come in contact with your disciples, I wasn’t sure what to think about their enthusiastic worship and glorification of you. But very soon I came to understand that it springs from gratitude for your ability to deeply and compassionatley transform peoples lives by translating Srila Prabhupadas teachings in an understandable and applicable way. Moreover your care for each individual always lies at heart of your guidance. You have always showed your care by asking if I’m happy, if my needs are met and if I have a supporting situation to practice Bhakti in.

You often say that “we are an equal service opportunity employer”. Coming from Sweden and having been drilled since childhood with the message “whatever a man can do a woman can do better” I didn’t think that a Bhakti center managed and run by women was anything unusual. Nevertheless I am grateful that you have always strived to encourage everyone to be all that they can be in Krishna’s service. I am grateful for the lifelong friendships I made during my time in the ladies ashram. I am grateful for all the skills and knowledge I gained there. And I am grateful that you taught the ladies real self esteem by “taking oneself off the market and becoming like one of the most expensive jewels kept hidden at the back of a jewellery shop”. I am grateful that you encouraged all of us to do “front line service” by distributing Srila Prabhupadas books, and all the realisations it brought. I am grateful that you encouraged everyone to study the books and learn how to teach the bhakti philosophy in contemporary terms.

You demonstrate your love for Srila Prabhupadas books by reading them over and over again, going deeper and deeper each time. In your podcasts you reveal your realisations by “churning” each pastime and looking at it from many new angles. In this way you have mastered the art of relishing the pastimes of the Lord. When I had the fortune of staying at New Gupta Vraja with you, you often invited all the devotees up to your room to read Srila Prabhupadas books, sometimes for hours. I remember once how you said with a big smile “this is what I do for recreation, read Srila Prabhupadas books together with devotees”.

I appreciate how you have always inspired us to make bhakti the center of our lives and to continually go deeper into the ocean of devotional service.

I pray for the ability to be able to hear that nectarean Holy Name, to relish the sweetness of Krishna’s glories and to render service to the Vaishnavas with just a fraction of the devotion you possess.

Your Servant,
Karuna-purna dasi

Hare Krishna,

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva and Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra Devi and All Vaisnavas!

Nama om Vishnu padaya
Krishna presthaya bhutale
Srimate Devamrita
swamin iti namine

pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances.

Your glories are unlimited. We will attempt to put a few on this piece of paper.
We have not met anyone as kind and caring as you, Srila Gurudeva! Your compassion and selflessness shine brightly, touching the lives of all who encounter you. You embody the essence of true service, always putting others first and offering support in both spiritual and material ways. Your ability to nurture our spiritual growth while providing a safe space for us to express ourselves is a rare gift. Through your actions and teachings, you encourage us to cultivate love and kindness in our own lives, reminding us of the importance of serving one another. Thank you for being a beacon of hope and a guiding light on our spiritual journeys.

Your passion for distributing books is truly remarkable! Your continually demonstration of vibrant service attitude is truly inspiring! It reflects a deep commitment to helping others and a genuine enthusiasm for making a difference. Your dedication not only uplifts those around you but also fosters a sense of community and connection. It’s this unwavering spirit that motivates others to engage and contribute, creating a ripple effect of positivity and service. Your approach reminds us all of the importance of selflessness and the joy that comes from giving.

We are actively facilitating Bhakti Vriksha for preaching, nurturing the spiritual growth of our community. In addition to this important work, we have a strong desire to engage in book distribution as a means to further spread the message of the Lord. We humbly seek your empowerment and guidance in this endeavour. Please help us to embrace this service wholeheartedly, enabling us to share the wisdom and teachings of our tradition with others. Together, may we inspire countless souls and deepen their connection with the divine.

Please bless us with the understanding and ability to serve you unconditionally, so that we may truly reflect your teachings and intentions in our actions. Grant us the wisdom to recognize opportunities for service, the strength to overcome any obstacles, and the humility to accept guidance. Help us to cultivate a heart full of love and compassion, allowing us to please you in all our endeavours and to bring joy to those around us.

A personal request please allow us to take your darshan even though we don’t have any questions for you.

Gurudeva, please always keep us under your divine shelter.

Vyasa puja maha mahotsva ki jai.

Aspiring to be humble servants,
Kārunyāmṛta Dāsa, Lāvaṇyāmṛta Dāsi,
Achintya Nitai, Agrani Gaura and Achyuta Hari

Dear Gurudeva,

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

You are so merciful, kind, inspiring, personal, and unconditionally caring. Out of your ocean of nectarean, auspicious qualities I will try to focus this offering on your quality of being merciful.

Last year you mercifully initiated me and gave me the name Karuṇā-Mayī Devi Dasi. You stated that this name “ refers to Srimati Radharani“ and explained that “ she is made of/full of mercy.”

When I reflect on this name I feel so touched and grateful. Firstly, it reminds me that I am a servant of the servant of Srimati Radharani who is full of unlimited mercy. Secondly, it reminds me that I am quite literally(as is stated in the name) made of, or in other words composed of the causeless mercy that I have received from you and Krishna through the Guruparampara. I am an absolute mercy case and without your causeless mercy bestowed upon me I would have no hope at even living the life of a human being - what to speak of having an opportunity to use this human form of life to engage in the privilege of devotional service.This name is such a perfect reminder that the only difference between me and non-devotees is the mercy that I have received from you. I hate to think of where I would be without Bhakti.

By your mercy I was given so many opportunities to associate with devotees over the years while I wasted time in Maya. Although I took some time to fully take up Bhakti, these opportunities had a deep impact on my heart. Due to you being so patient and merciful towards me over these years, I finally felt a heart pulling to fully commit to Bhakti. Since then I have been so blessed by your mercy and become so happy in your service Gurudeva. I have never felt more peaceful and happy than where I am situated now in the ashrama. I feel so sheltered, loved and inspired in the ashrama. The only reason for this is due to you mercifully giving me full facility to engage in your service in the association of such wonderful ladies who are also fueled by your mercy . I have so many opportunities here to make spiritual advancement and I am being trained so lovingly and expertly, due to your mercy.

“ By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krsna. 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. “

I am brought to tears of gratitude thinking how rare and incredible it is that I have this opportunity to be in the ashrama.

In my last darshana you instructed me on how to deal with some perceived impediments in my spiritual life. I am recently seeing the effects of these merciful instructions and am seeing how with instruction comes ability. I want to deeply thank you for this and every other time you have mercifully given me exactly what I needed to hear at the perfect time to help me better serve your lotus feet. I also want to thank you for mercifully giving me everything I need materially and spiritually.

Despite my many shortcomings, I pray that I can somehow and someday try to repay my debt of gratitude to you for bestowing such causeless mercy upon me, even though I am so undeserving. I pray to always remember and feel deep gratitude for your mercy. I desire to constantly pray for and feel your mercy flowing through my veins, and use this as inspiration to impell me to try my very best to serve your lotus feet with patience, determination and enthusiasm.

Your indebted and grateful servant,
Karuṇā-mayī Devi Dasi

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

And all glories unto you on this auspicious day of your appearance!

From the very beginning of your life you had a lifetime of preaching ahead of you. By her deep faith in the Lord your mother prayed for you to become a preacher of the Lord. And surely the Lord reciprocates with the desire of His devotees and fulfilled her desires perfectly. Also she herself made sure that you will develop a thirst for knowledge and protected you from anything which may be in your way to receive the best education possible. Your quest and search for the best knowledge then culminated in getting in touch with Srila Prabhupada’s books and with Srila Prabhupada himself. Then the glorious life of a preacher of the Lord became manifest.

From the very beginning you dedicated yourself to distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, help producing the books and preaching, spreading this knowledge which can make human life successful. Which saves us all from a shallow life of materialism and by which we can finally reawaken our real self in relationship with Sri Krishna, our Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This dedication to spreading Krishna Consciousness, serving and pleasing Srila Prabhupada in this way permeates your entire life and being. You always think about how to cast a wider and wider net to catch misguided and suffering spirit souls and offer them a chance to get of of this illusory existence. But while this preaching and outreach is your transcendental passion you also participate in managing and shaping Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. If constantly preaching and taking care of your disciples needs and problems and inspiring devotees all over the world, your GBC duties and constant travelling was not enough, you still find time for relishing Srila Prabhupada’s books and your personal bhajana. And also you think about so many more things which will help our society and complete Srila Prabhupada’s mission. I remember clearly and distinctly during our end of year festival 2014 you repeatedly mentioned how we have not yet established varnashrama dharma and that we somehow have to find ways to help establishing the second 50% of Srila Prabhupada’s mission. This just gives a glimpse of your absolute absorption and dedication in trying to please Srila Prabhupada. How much more are you absorbed in which we do not know?

I pray that one day may receive the blessing of receiving just one drop of this dedication and absorption of yours so I may be able to follow you in your footsteps and repay my debts to you.

Your aspiring servant

Kasi Priya das

Dear Gurudeva,
Namo om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
Srimate Devamrta swami iti namine
Pracare purva-daksyam ca bhaktacara pravinata
Pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah

Please accept my humble obeisances….
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to You on this most auspicious day of Your appearance…

No words are enough or adequate to glorify You Gurudeva, nevertheless by this humble attempt, I will be purified.
Simply by our remembering you, our houses become instantly sanctified. And what to speak of seeing you, touching you, washing your holy feet and offering you a seat in our home? (SB 1.19.33)
I was contemplating on this particular verse, an understanding dawned upon me. Pure devotee means all auspiciousness. And spiritual master is expert in bestowing this boon of devotional service, spreads his auspiciousness to his disciples. No other form of life as valuable as human form and no other human being as fortunate, as one who receives shelter of a spiritual master. Caught up in our designations and desires, we are trying to explore and exploit every possible way to stay happy, but fail miserably. But a spiritual master like your good self head us in right direction, offers corrections, tolerates our impudence and guide us on the path of bhakti, to revive our true happy nature.

In Srimad Bhagavatam, verse 1.2.16
śuśrūṣoḥśraddadhānasya
vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ
syānmahat-sevayāviprāḥ
puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt
Srila Prabhupada mentions that people are gradually rectified to God consciousness by these great servants of Lord, who are personified tirthas, who preach according time , place and circumstances. Their only urge is to turn people towards Krsna. If one gets to serve these mahatmas, they develop urge to hear glories of Lord. And Srila Viswanatha Chakaravati Thakur mentions, this verse alone helps a devotee advance, only by association of such vaisnavas, mercy flows leading one to engage in service to vaisnavas, which helps one to develop faith and seek for shelter of Guru and who bestows eagerness to worship Krsna.
It is only Your mercy, that I am engaged in devotional service and every day is celebration of that mercy. Life has become dynamic and adventurous. Recently, as I was distributing books, I met a person, who attempted for suicide twice, and currently under medication for his depression. He came to vrindavan looking for some peace. As I was showing some of small books of Srila Prabhupada, he was repeating again and again “I want to be happy”. I was praying how can I make him take a book, neither I know how to help nor enough compassionate to understand depth of his situation. Remembering You and Srila Prabhupada, I prayed fervently to Gaura Nitai to help me serve him this young man with a book, he took chant and be happy and I taught him how chant Hare Krsna Mahamantra. Although it was a meager success, yet I learnt a profound lesson, that You are always there to help me, yet its only my complacency and anarthas stops me from seeking full shelter of Yours.

During covid lockdown, in one of lectures you delivered, you mention, one has to get out this material world, as this place is filled with aversion to Krsna. Recently as our team did a college program as we were interacting, it amazed me how some of the students who are born, bought up in Vrindavan are becoming averse to Krsna bhakti and wanted remain in that covered atheism. Later I was referring to notes of your class, you were explaining how material nature is treacherous, whole system is in place for reversal. And you quoted example of Viswanatha chakravati Thakur, material world is like a salt mine, everywhere we stick our tongue it just tastes salt. Catch this point and save yourself.
In Brhad Bhagavatamrita, as Gopa kumar was stuck up in Vaikunta planet, He was little dissatisfied with in heart and but couldn’t reveal his state of mind to anyone. But as soon as he saw Narada muni, Gopa Kumar revealed his heart. In that context, Santana Goswami explains nature of spiritual master as Param aptam : most authoritative source of knowledge and he is Suhrt Srestha : best possible friend. Truly, Gurudeva you exemplify both qualities. You take most complex subject matters present it in easy and practical way and you again and again show that you are our well wisher.

This year, in month of May, I got to witness epitome of your compassion and how forever you are only our true well-wisher. As you were transiting delhi, you decided to stay one day in Govinda kund mataji’s house. As your flight meant to reach afternoon, whole morning we were excited to cook and serve you, but the flight had several delays, and you finally reached home around 9:30pm. You were super exhausted and I thought you might be experiencing some light headiness. Hardly you had anything to eat. But next day, you are back to routine, meeting with Guru Prasad swami maharaj, meeting some of new aspiring disciples and ready to fly back to one more destination to serve Srila Prabhupada and his mission. Whole episode was inconceivable to my mind. Recently as I listening to class on SB 1.16.16, speaker was mentioning why Krsna served pandavas sometimes as chariot driver, or as peace maker or as friend etc that’s because pandavas were malleable to wishes of Krsna. Speaker further explained that just like clay is malleable in hands of porter and takes various shapes, pandavas acted to Lord’s will.
As I came out of class, tears were running down my cheeks I was thinking how my Gurudeva, your good self-became malleable in hands of Srila Prabhupada and dedicated to His Mission. Today I begging you, to bless me so I can develop a drop of sincerity and enthusiasm to serve you and Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for everything you gave me Gurudeva… I am forever indebted to you…

Your Aspiring servant,
Kasturika.devi dasi

Hare Krishna my Gurudeva, your Holiness Devamrita Swami...
Your birthday designed by our Supreme Krishna was certainly such a true, pure blessing to this world: HaRiBoL! 'Not a blade of grass moves without the will of Krishna' as stated in the "Bhagavad-gita As It Is". My eternal awe to have met you initially at Gita Nagari Farm in August of 2018.
Thank you endlessly for All you wonderfully &amp; admirably do. Am so grateful of your team sending links of your live classes &amp; posting videos. Thanks for your books, guidance, &amp; steadfast virtue. Immeasurable appreciation to allowing me to take initiation.
Always, all glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada - bless you, bless you, bless you.
Love, peace, prayers; in His service, Kathā-ruci

Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Please accept my heartfelt obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories unto this special day of your appearance.
All glories unto His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada.

Once a devotee asked me what was something I truly relish in devotional life. My answer was in offering my obeisances to you. I wish my words could reflect the deep feeling of gratitude I have in my heart, when I am bowing before you in my mind each day and how much shelter, refuge, relief, then… gradually peace and joy I experience. My only regret is that I cannot stay in this position for longer, as the little one is often demanding my attention away these days…

I am hoping that any small service I am able to render is also counted as my obeisances at your lotus feet, and that you please accept my service though it is and I am imperfect. So that in standing and walking and cooking and all my activities, I may also find the same relishable experience in devotional life, of being your servant, remembering I am your servant, never forgetting I am your servant.

Eternally indebted to you, is where I will always be.

The servant of the servant of the servant,
Yours,
Kathamrta

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja,

nama oṁ viṣṇu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devamrita swāmin iti nāmine

pracāre pūrva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you on this divine day of your appearance.
Although I am unqualified to glorify you, I would like to take this opportunity to say a few words to show my gratitude for all the care, service and love you have given not only me but the whole of humanity at large. I feel very fortunate and grateful to have your association. Hearing your lectures fires up my enthusiasm to want to get to know Krishna more and more. Your instructions are your real mercy. I have no place more secure than your lotus feet. I pray that I have the fortune to eternally remain there by following your instructions.

I pray that one day I may be a small mirror reflecting your enormous lighthouse to other souls in this ocean of flaws, a source of comforting light for them.
I can see there is so much more to this world than meets the senses when I watch you enjoy Krishna Consciousness. I'm so over this material existence, so this is a huge relief. Together with the other devotees, I hope we can return home with you.
My words cannot repay my indebtedness to you, or do any justice in glorifying your qualities and character. Thank you for encouraging me to reach my potential for Krishna and for giving me love without conditions. I will continue to aspire to give my life to you.

Deeply praying I can become the disciple you desire me to be, one that fights despite the chaos and never backs down. I humbly beg you to please kindly give me your mercy so that I may become unflinchingly attached to service to your lotus feet.

Your aspiring servant,
Bhakta Kavish

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to srila prabhupada and you,

The material senses are a network leading to death and by your mercy I got the opportunity to free myself from the shackles of the illusory energy of the lord.
I know I haven't always been the best disciple but now I'm actively getting back on track and take my initiation vows more serious again.
My only desire is to have my consciousness purified by the dust of your lotus feet.
I'm fighting hard every day to become more successful in my outreach efforts and simultaneously stabilizing my saddhana.
Ultimately I'm sure the day will come when I finally make u satisfied with my fallen self.
I pray for shelter and forgiveness.
And I owe you my life.
I hope that one day I can follow in your footsteps by performing fabulous sankirtan.

Your servant and disciple
Keshi Nishudana Dasa

Dearest Gurudeva,

Hare Krishna! Please accept my repeated respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you, his lovingly dedicated disciple and spiritual son!

On this auspicious day of your appearance, I am grateful for the opportunity to reflect on your ceaseless devotion to the mission of your spiritual master, the spreading of Krishna consciousness to all of the conditioned souls who are suffering in this fallen age of mischief and misery. A human being who is fortunate enough to come in contact with a bonafide guru has been given an opportunity of astronomical import. As declared in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta:

"brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

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 Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service."

Gurudeva, you perfectly exemplify the characteristics of a genuine spiritual master. Free from the desire for recognition, fame, and adoration you simply but intelligently strive every day to increase the reach and effect of your own beloved spiritual master's teachings. I feel blessed that over the years I have been granted a small glimpse into your daily behavior, your discipline, and your single-minded focus. For my dull mind, it is inconceivable how you simultaneously maintain such a rigorous and enthusiastic schedule of seva, while also taking every opportunity to personally encourage, guide, and nurture the dozens and dozens of people who are in your care. I have been blessed to have personally witnessed your willingness to "go the extra mile", giving yourself freely to meet the needs of others.

You are a living example of how the spiritual master sees the Lord in the heart of all beings and seeks to be His servant at every moment. As Krishna describes in the Bhagavad-gita:

"brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me."

Therefore, being cognizant of the unimaginable good fortune of your association, I am continually begging you Gurudeva, please accept me as your disciple. Though I am always confused and full of weakness, on this day of your appearance, I beg you for instruction and guidance. Please show me the path through the perplexities of this life and help me to always keep the true goal in the forefront of my vision - pure love of the Supreme Transcendent Lord.

Your eternally aspiring servant,

Kesi-mardana dasa

Dear Gurudeva,

please accept my most humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on this, your sacred appearance day.

Thank you for your decades of care and mercy upon myself and everyone you meet. 
I want to offer my gratitude particularly for your speaking about Krishna consciousness today. I have had the recurring image this year of your giving incessant classes and guidance being like a parental bird returning to the nest after gathering suitable food for the children, and then feeding those children carefully what they can digest and handle. We are fortunately receiving the benefits produced of your personal intake of hearing, chanting, remembering, and practical devotional services, transmuted in a form suitable for us - whether we are practitioners or guests at an outreach centre.

This is described much more beautifully in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.3):

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ
śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam
pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayam
muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ

"O expert and thoughtful men, relish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls."

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport:

“In Sanskrit the parrot is also known as śuka. When a ripened fruit is cut by the red beaks of such birds, its sweet flavor is enhanced. The Vedic fruit which is mature and ripe in knowledge is spoken through the lips of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is compared to the parrot not for his ability to recite the Bhāgavatam exactly as he heard it from his learned father, but for his ability to present the work in a manner that would appeal to all classes of men.”

“Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is so carefully presented that a sincere and serious person can at once enjoy the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge simply by drinking the nectarean juice through the mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī or his bona fide representative.”

As a bona fide representative of Sukadeva Gosvami, you are definitely presenting the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in a manner that appeals to all classes of people, as evidenced by the enthusiasm of the devotees who hear from you consistently, and the interest you generate in Western guest audiences.

The potent effects of hearing from you in this way, bringing about the supreme goal of life, are enchantingly described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.20.25):

sa uttamaśloka mahan-mukha-cyuto
bhavat-padāmbhoja-sudhā kaṇānilaḥ
smṛtiṁ punar vismṛta-tattva-vartmanāṁ
kuyogināṁ no vitaraty alaṁ varaiḥ

"My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee."

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport:

“The Lord asks every sleeping living entity to get up and engage in devotional service so that his mission in this human form of life may be fulfilled. This awakening voice comes through the mouth of a pure devotee."

“A pure devotee always engages in the service of the Lord, taking shelter of His lotus feet, and therefore he has a direct connection with the saffron mercy-particles that are strewn over the lotus feet of the Lord. Although when a pure devotee speaks the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of a pure devotee, he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord, although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.”

“The process of hearing from a pure devotee is recommended in all Vedic scriptures, especially by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One may stay in his position of life — it does not matter what it is — but if one hears from the mouth of a pure devotee, he gradually comes to the understanding of his relationship with the Lord and thus engages in His loving service, and his life becomes completely perfect. Therefore, this process of hearing from the mouth of a pure devotee is very important for making progress in the line of spiritual understanding.”

I pray that my life can be an offering of gratitude for the shelter of your lotus feet, today and always, and that I can chant Hare Krishna seriously.
Thank you for the most happy life practicing Krishna consciousness. I pray I can remember this always - seeing the simple path to being Krishna conscious - even when material circumstances get difficult.

Your grateful spiritual daughter and aspiring servant,
Khadiravan

Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble,respectful pranams,dandavats and obeisances in the glittering dust of your lotus feet on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

Please allow me to start with a brief description of a well known pastime of your previous grandfather acarya, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur.

As he is present on the day of the opening of a huge temple, he notices there is one brahmacari missing among the multitude of devotees present to assist.
So the Thakur inquires from the ashram commander where this particular devotee has gone to which the leader replies that he had left due to some discouraging politics.

Concerned and angered, Sarasvati Thakur demands they go and find him immediately lest they put the entire temple opening on hold until he is found.

The devotees flood the nearby township using some detective work to follow up on some clues which eventually lead them to the brahmacari, who has taken up work in a watch repair /jewellery store. Begging him to return, the devotees' plea, as was the desire of their spiritual master, was made even more urgent for the temple opening to proceed.

Returning to the lotus feet of the Thakur, the devotee is moved to tears by the intense, personalised manhunt initiated by the purity and fatherly demeanour of the exalted saint.

Gurudeva, the power and potency of bhakti personalism inherent in your interactions with your disciples is our essential driving force; the alchemy that dismantles our false ego, softens the heart and brings us closer to fulfilling your desires and personal plans for us to return to Krsna.

Of course, as an acarya you are teaching us the intricacies of every step on the bhaktimarg, from śraddhā to prema; to be engaged and absorbed in devotional service in the association of devotees and to continue preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

However, the inspiration that keeps us thriving is the Kṛṣṇa-conscious care and fatherly personalism you provide to each individual, despite the growing family you are currently threading together as a garland to offer to your spiritual master, our beloved Śrīla Prabhupāda.

As the perfect, tireless "Jet Age" Pravargagacārya, you utilize modern transport and technology in Kṛṣṇa's service, traveling to be there personally for your disciples and your continued localised preaching.

You also call isolated devotees and chant with them; you text your disciples to inquire about their welfare, to encourage and to instruct them.
You join us on book distribution along with loving sankirtan devotees,
manning the book tables, giving everyone inspiration and joy as the devotees bask in the radiant beams of Lord Caitanya's mercy shining forth from your transcendental form as you capture the minds of the hapless, yet fortunate,passers by.

You have revealed to us that you pray to the Pañca-Tattva in Māyāpur, among other Deities, for our spiritual welfare and progress in bhakti. You offer more detailed prayers for those in dire need of your mercy—mercy to which you’ve dedicated your entire life to give freely, in line with the desire, empowerment, and guidance of the disciplic succession, crowned by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Many disciples come from harsh, disastrous backgrounds and fight tooth and nail to take shelter at your lotus feet. You roll up your sleeves and truly engage with them to help them secure their place in bhakti. You provide personal, detailed instructions with the potency to extricate them from their usual overwhelming, sometimes life-threatening circumstances.


Whether you allow us your present vapu or your vani, being transmitted to us globally, your personalism pervades. Or whether your gracing us with the rose like fragrance of your wide, benevolent smile and encouraging words or with the cracking of a thunderbolt to jolt us out of our occasional ventures into Maya, your pure, seamless, personal connection with the Supreme Person—the Supreme Living Being—through the authoritative technology of the paramparā is bringing all who come in contact with you, or your instruction, back home back to our eternal abode.

This you personally see to, every moment of every day.

Thank you for allowing this fallen, conditioned soul to experience your sublime personal love, guidance and unfathomable mercy, Gurudeva.

Your ever grateful, aspiring servant,
Khela-tirtha dasa

nama oṁ viṣnu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine
pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

Dear Gurudev

On the auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja, I bow down at your lotus feet, filled with gratitude for all your guidance and compassion.

Just as Sri Vyasadeva meticulously compiled the sacred texts for our spiritual advancement, the Guru imparts timeless wisdom with compassion, thereby illuminating the hearts of disciples with the knowledge of Krishna. Vyasapuja presents us with an opportunity to reflect on the profound impact you have on our lives, in nurturing and inspiring to cultivate a deeper connection with the Supreme Lord.

Gurudev, your lectures are a window to the spiritual world. Your ability to present the wisdom of Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam in a variety of ever fresh ways is truly amazing. In the purport to SB1.5.16, Srila Prabhupada writes, <i>“The expert devotees also can discover novel ways and means to convert the non-devotees in terms of particular time and circumstance. Devotional service is dynamic activity, and the expert devotees can find out competent means to inject it into the dull brains of the materialistic population.”</i> Your understanding of the latest trends in the world, and insights on the political, economic and cultural fabric of society is remarkable. You skilfully incorporate these into your presentations in such a logical, and dynamic manner, making it easy to appreciate for everyone.

Thank you, Gurudev for allowing me to be a small part of your preaching efforts and the service opportunities you have provided me. On this very auspicious day of your Vyasapuja, I pray that I eternally remain engaged in your service and seek your blessings so that I may increase my attraction and dependence on chanting the holy name.

Your insignificant servants
Kirtiman Krsna dasa
Priyamvada Madhavi Devi dasi
Priti &amp; Daama

Dear Guru Mahārāja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda and all glories to this most wonderful and auspicious day of your appearance. Today is a great celebration because in this dark material world you have illuminated the spotless and sublime path of pure devotion to Krishna for many thousands of lost souls.

By being faithful, dedicated and following closely in the footsteps of Śrīla Prabhupāda your beloved Spiritual Master you have achieved great success in spreading Krishna Consciousness in the Western countries ‘pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe’ and you continue to do so after so many decades. Indeed you are an exemplary disciple.

I can’t honestly comprehend all your activities, but two things are clear - you have an unbreakable desire to please Śrīla Prabhupāda and you are constantly engaged in devotional service.

These qualities are evident in your clear and attractive explanations of the teachings of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam; undoubtedly a result of many years of deep study and application, your focus in guiding disciples to read and study Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books sufficiently and regularly and furthermore your relentless engagement and sacrifice in the Sankīrtan movement; teaching the science of Krishna and distributing and helping publish Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

When I think about my association with you I feel very fortunate. I am thankful towards my biological father because he did his best to raise me and look after me; he even instilled in me a little faith in God. However despite this, he was completely unable to rescue me from the path of repeated birth and death nor was he able to reveal the transcendental glories of the name, form quality or pastimes of Srī Krishna the unlimitedly attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead.

My life has become truly auspicious since you have become my Spiritual Master and Spiritual Father. Despite all my shortcomings and lack of sincerity I feel hopeful and deeply grateful to have your guidance and association. Your instructions are actually what nourish me and give me life so my concern now is simply how I can execute these instructions and please you so that I may one day, by your mercy become absorbed in Krishna Consciousness and follow in your footsteps.

Dear Gurudeva I am nobody special, in fact I am very lowly and powerless. I am repeatedly bewildered by false ego because of my own bad choices but somehow or other I have become blessed by your association and the association of sincere devotees so please give me more opportunity to be engaged in devotional service and let me become an instrument in your hands, if you so desire.

Your servant,
Koladvīpa-pati Dāsa

Dear Gurudeva


Please accept my prostrated obeisances
All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance


As I'm writing this, I am with you in wellington and am trying to render some service to you.

I am so grateful that you kindly give me your association. I don't have any qualification, but somehow by Krishna's supreme mercy, I have the association of your most exalted self.

Being with you, I notice how much turmoil I am normally in and how amazingly peaceful and satisfied I can be when I am with you. How fortunate I am that you allow me to render you a little service.

Simply serving you Prasad, doing your washing and doing some cleaning for you, I am deriving the highest benefit. While you were having lunch in my time with you, you were playing some things from “Teachings of lord Caitanya”. Prabhupada was explaining that out of millions of liberated persons one may find one devotee of Narayana.

How amazing is it, that such a lowly person as me with the most degraded background, has the most fortunate opportunity to get your association and serve you, dear Gurudeva.

I was contemplating that when being with you, it is so clear what the goal of life is and what life is about. Because you are in constant association with Krishna, and the whole flat radiates your purity, everything in my consciousness that is not favourable to Krishna's pleasure stands out like a sore thumb. Things that I am normally not much aware of, are very noticeable. But through your kind association they easily get washed away.
Even though due to some remnants that are still lingering in my body due to the flu that so many people recently got, and my body feels very tired, I am feeling so satisfied being with you and I wouldn’t want to change my circumstance with anyone else.

How amazing it is, that people can have millions or billions of dollars, yet always wanting more, being burned in the forest fire of material existence, but by your kindness, even someone with no qualifications and so many impurities can be satisfied when being in your presence.

Thank you for saving my life and all the future hellish destinations that I would have had to encounter without you, Gurudeva.

Even just one sentence or a few words out of your mouth can be most uplifting and give such a pure vision that I couldn’t provide for anyone even if I talked with them for days on end. Yesterday, when one devotee came up to the flat, and you were talking with her about outreach, you were asking me whether I still go on books and meet people on the street. And as I replied that I’m trying, you were saying to the devotee who was here, that Krishna Gopinath is expert. I certainly don’t feel in any way that I am in any way good at the service, and unfortunately also not many results are coming from my efforts. But simply by those few words and your kind encouragement I feel very inspired to try to increase my efforts and put more energy into bringing people to Lord Caitanya's lotus feet. If people come to Bhakti lounge and get to engage in hearing and chanting about Krishna in such a wonderful atmosphere that is all there due to you, and then finally, hopefully getting the opportunity to meet you, they will surely feel inspired to take up Krishna consciousness.

My efforts to serve you, I feel, have been quite slack and I haven’t done much for you, especially recently, being too much overwhelmed with worldly affairs. I am praying that I can again be more inspired in outreach and giving Krishna to others, not only thinking about myself and my situation. I just want to please you Gurudeva. Please help me to have this consciousness at the forefront of my mind without being distracted by mundane achievements.

To get out of my miserly consciousness and engage wholeheartedly without material motivations in your service is the only desire that I want to cultivate. Please kindly grant this lowly servant of yours your blessings to be more focused in my Krishna consciousness and if you so desire give me a little empowerment to be able to be of some inspiration to others, so that I can do something to please you and bring more people to Lord Caitanya's lotus feet.

Humbly praying for your merciful glance upon me,
Your aspiring disciple Krishna Gopinath das

Dearest Gurudeva, Hare Krishna!

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to your unflinching devotion and dedicated service.

As I humbly attempt to glorify you on this most auspicious day of your divine appearance on this earthly plane, I pray to remember that glorifying you is the highest privilege and honor. It offers an opportunity to reflect on your qualities, to contemplate your impact on my life, and to refresh my commitment to your service and instructions.

Krishna has been very kind to me. When I was just 17, I attended my first Krishna Consciousness program. Though my intention was merely to connect with other vegetarians in my area, my heart was immediately captivated by the soothing, mystical vibration of Krishna’s holy names. The philosophy awakened truths I unknowingly held in my heart, and everything resonated perfectly. Through the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, Krishna graciously allowed me to meet Him again.

Shortly afterward, I had a dream. This dream was so clear and realistic that even after so many years, I can vividly remember every detail. I found myself in a beautiful natural setting—a meadow surrounded by majestic trees. The sun’s gentle rays and the soft breeze added to the scene’s serenity. Butterflies fluttered about, and I could hear the chirping of birds and the buzzing of bees. Standing in the tall grass, I noticed a captivating figure on the other side. My heart began to race. He was dressed in yellow silk garments, adorned with a forest garland and a beautifully decorated turban, and His complexion resembled a fresh rain cloud. He played the most enchanting sound on His flute—it was Krishna! I was overwhelmed by the love I felt emanating from Him. As He walked toward me, I stood there, filled with awe and reverence. He smiled at me but didn’t come any closer. I longed to approach Him, but I couldn’t move. My dream ended there.

I understood then that Krishna indicated it was my turn to take steps toward Him. He had given me the process, but now it was my responsibility to act upon it.

Somehow today, I remembered that dream again, and as I reflect on it, I see a deeper layer of understanding. I couldn’t approach Krishna, even though He was nearby, because Krishna cannot be approached directly without the favor of His representative, a pure devotee. Due to His loving compassion and divine desire to bring us back to His lotus feet, Krishna sends us a guide to help navigate the stormy material existence and lead us to Him.

“The best way to establish our relation in transcendental sweetness is to approach [Lord Krishna] through His recognized devotees. One should not try to establish the relation directly; there must be a via medium that is transparent and competent to lead us to the right path.”
—Bhāg. 1.9.22

You are the one, Gurudeva, who can grant me access to life’s greatest treasure—a goal I have unknowingly been searching and longing for over millions of births. It is a goal that takes lifetimes of severe sacrifices and penances for yogis and ascetics to achieve, a goal that even demigods pray and beg to come in contact with, a goal that all the combined treasures of this material world could never acquire. Yet, by your grace, this treasure is so easily attainable. How have I ever deserved such mercy?

Without your causeless mercy, dearest Gurudeva, I would never be able to fully re-establish my lost connection with Krishna. You are the link that enables this lost soul to return back home, back to Godhead. This profound realization brings me to my knees in humility and gratitude for the mercy you generously bestowed upon me. You are the bridge that connects me to Krishna.

In the purport to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.7.46, Srila Prabhupada writes:
“The Personality of Godhead may not be present before one’s eyes, but if one is sincere in wanting such guidance, the Lord will send a bona fide person who can guide one properly back home, back to Godhead.”

Similarly, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.16.50 says:
“One who engages in devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master in disciplic succession becomes qualified to see the Lord face to face.”

These verses confirm what I have come to realize so deeply: that without your guidance and mercy, my journey toward Krishna would remain incomplete.

There is a beautiful passage in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.23.28 that I would like to quote for your pleasure:


“When one wants to cross a large ocean, he requires a strong boat. It is said that this human form of life is a good boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience. In the human form of life one can obtain the guidance of a good navigator, the spiritual master. He also gets a favorable wind by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, and that wind is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. The human body is the boat, the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa are the favorable winds, and the spiritual master is the navigator.”

Thank you, dearest Gurudeva, for being my skillful navigator! Thank you for ensuring that my ship catches the favorable winds of Krishna’s mercy and sails smoothly, avoiding the dangerous pitfalls of the material world.

I am deeply grateful for the guidance and clarity on my spiritual path that I receive from you—whether through direct instructions, lectures, or even unspoken transcendental transmission. As a conditioned soul still attracted to the glittering objects of material nature, your guidance helps me stay focused on the ultimate goal and purifies me from material attachments.

You are a genuine spiritual master, connected to a sublime lineage of ācāryas. Through this connection to the paramparā (disciplic succession), you present Vedic wisdom accurately while adding your unique flavor. Whenever I hear you narrate Krishna’s pastimes, the words on the pages come to life. Just like Sanjaya, who—due to his divine vision—gave the blind Dhritarashtra access to the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Similarly, you give me access to the sweetness of Krishna’s pastimes. When you narrate, read, or speak on your podcast, I can see, feel, touch, and smell every detail as if I am truly there.

In Bhagavad-gita (13.8), Krishna says:

amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam


“Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity are the qualities of one who is situated in knowledge.”

I am continually amazed by your ability to see the different levels of advancement among your disciples, understanding that each journey is unique. You tailor your guidance perfectly, prompting each disciple to take the next step and helping us overcome our challenges. Your advice is always deeply personal and directly relevant to each individual’s life.

Your exemplary lifestyle serves as a living embodiment of this verse. During your last visit to Gita Nagari, my husband and I were blessed with many opportunities to offer personal service to you. I was mesmerized as I observed you in those intimate settings. Your gestures were graceful and aristocratic. You were efficient, ensuring that not a second was wasted. Every word you spoke was deliberately chosen, and despite our occasional mistakes (including me forgetting to cook your dinner one evening), you were kind, forgiving, and patient as we learned how to serve you correctly and not be a burden.

The passage I quoted earlier continues:


“The spiritual master knows well how to adjust the sails to catch the winds favorably and steer the boat to its destination. If, however, one does not take advantage of this opportunity, he wastes the human form of life. Wasting time and life in this way is the same as committing suicide.”

I pray at your lotus feet on this auspicious day of your appearance. Please make this stubborn and proud disciple allow you to guide her boat.

I pray for the strength to remain committed to your instructions and guidance. Please bless me with the humility to understand that I am your servant and that without your mercy, I am unable to advance spiritually.

Please purify my heart from material desires, envy, pride, and false ego so that I may serve Krishna free from the temptations of material desires.

Grant me steadiness in my practice of devotional service, particularly in chanting the holy names, studying the śāstras, serving others, and fulfilling my devotional duties despite the distractions and obstacles I encounter. May my heart remain focused on Krishna’s lotus feet at all times.

Please bless me with spiritual vision so I may see Krishna’s hand in every situation and realize His presence in my daily life.

Please, give me your mercy so my enthusiasm and joy in serving Krishna never fade, and I remain inspired to share Krishna’s teachings with others.

Please forgive me for any offenses I have committed knowingly or unknowingly, and bless me with the wisdom to avoid such mistakes in the future.

Your deeply grateful servant,
Krishna-mayi dd

Dear Gurudeva,


Please accept my humble obeisances.


All glories to Srila Prabhupada.


All glories to you on your auspicious appearance day.



Some things stand out from your recent visit about how to gain the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

On Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s appearance day, you were reading: 
“Dasya to Gauranga is the portal through which all the other rasa’s manifest”. 
Also during the reading, you said “Get Gauranga’s mercy, distribute books”. And you recently revealed “The Secret”

“As much as one devotes his full attention to the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya, to that extent he will be able to taste the nectarean service of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani in Brindavan. The more one engages in the service of Sri Chaitanya, the more one finds oneself in Brindavan, tasting the nectar of the service of Sri Radha.”—Prabodhananda Sarasvat, Caitanya Candramrta.

Thank you for highlighting the key to reach our ultimate goal.



It is apparent you have your full attention at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and are magnanimously wanting that for others too. From your beginnings in NZ (of course way before NZ) you have been committed to spreading the sankirtan mission, through book distribution and outreach centres. You have inspired countless devotees to distribute books and cultivate conditioned souls.



Out of the many displays of Vaisnava qualities you manifest, for me the most apparent is selflessness; you are constantly giving! Giving of your time, darshans, zoom calls, caring for devotees, readings, kirtan, giving gifts, giving talks/lectures, giving your realisations, and giving one-on-one sessions with kali yuga denizens at our outreach centres, devotees always feel so happy when the guests have darshan with you; their lives will never be the same!



Thank you Gurudeva, for being a benevolent well-wisher to myself and others.
Hoping to be a selfless servant one day.

Hoping to be useful in Lord Caitanya’s mission.

Also keeping an eye on the business side of things.



Your servant,

Krishnaloka dd

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

The brutal influence of Kali Yuga is now in full swing. Ceaseless quarrels, ceaseless hypocrisy, ceaseless economic growth, ceaseless animal slaughter, ceaseless pollution, ceaseless degradation in every corner. This material world is a heavy, intense place and yet Maya does her job so well as to make us think otherwise.
Somehow or other after countless lifetimes, I have had the good fortune of coming in contact with you Gurudeva, a bonafide Guru. Just like the material world, you are also Heavy and Intense, but in the proper sense of the term.

Wikipedia’s version sums up the word ‘Guru’ so well. it resembles you in every respect.
it means 'heavy,' or 'weighty,' in the sense of "heavy with knowledge,"heavy with spiritual wisdom, "heavy with spiritual weight,” "heavy with the good qualities of scriptures and realization," or "heavy with a wealth of knowledge.” The word can also mean 'to raise, lift up, or to make an effort’.

Srila Prabhupada also mentioned in his lectures a number of times, how Guru means ‘Heavy’.
Once he said “Guru means heavy, or superior. So you can satisfy superior by your service, not by challenging, that is not possible”.

Gurudeva, how could I challenge you? It is actually quite the opposite, I feel challenged. I look at my life and realise, Im not doing enough, I should be doing more.
In your recent Radhastami class you told us, it is a good day to pray if we’ve been slipping in our service or we just want to increase. You even mentioned doubling our service, and at that moment it felt like you looked right at me. I thought, ‘oh my god, how can I double my service?’ But by your mercy and your pushing us to live a life of such Spiritual intensity, anything is possible.

This is what the Guru does, by your intensity, because you are so dedicated and have made so much sacrifice, then we feel we should also. Even if I’m lazy and casual, you keep pushing me. Just by being in your presence and keeping your instructions at the forefront I feel the push. Sometimes its uncomfortable and challenging, but it is what is good for me. We would not go far on our own enthusiasm or eagerness, if the great souls such as yourself were not here to push us.

HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami once came to see Srila Prabhupada after preaching in the communist countries. Srila Prabhuapada called him forward and started rubbing his head. He then said “you are a glorious Grand disciple of Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, your life has become glorious”. Bhakti Tirtha Swami started crying and said ‘I didn’t want to go to the communist countries but I only went because you pushed me. Srila Prabhupada looked at him and said ‘my Spiritual Master pushed me, and I am pushing you, and in the future you will push others. And like this its like a train, one carriage leads another and the whole train goes back to godhead, this is how Parampara works’.

What an opportunity we have been given, to live a life of intensity for Krsna, so there is no room for Maya to enter. Thank you so much. Absorption in devotional service is the only solution in this material world. But at the same time, I don’t want to just serve with quantity, but more quality. With more attention, more sincerity, more conscious intention. Obviously with this there comes more difficulty and responsibility. But in these times we realise we are not the doer, we can’t do it on our own and have to cry out to Krsna for his help.

The tendency in this Material World is to become mechanical and complacent. I can’t do that this time Gurudeva. This is the final lap. As you once said ‘make this your final birth in this World’. How many life times has it taken to get to this point? If I become comfortable and casual then I will miss the opportunity. Everything is within our grasp, we just need to make the right conscious decisions and beg for the mercy.

Gurudeva, please allow me to serve you with just a drop of the intensity you serve your Spiritual master and please push me to increase my service, in not only quantity but quality, as you desire.

Your servant,
Krsna Prasada das

Dearest Gurudev,

Please accept my humblest obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to your service. All glories to your guidance and mercy.

I would be remiss to not take the opportunity to express how my neophyte knowledge has been awakened to a very real realization.

About one week ago I stumbled upon a link shared in a WhatsApp group that read “Gurudev’s Vyasa-Puja Offerings 2024”. I became overjoyed to witness what this link might lead me to. Messages from Gurudeva himself? Writings, videos, poems, theatrical pieces from those of us who follow his wisdom? Maybe it’s one of those fancy e-cards with birthday music and digital fireworks, let me turn up my volume…loading…hmm… this seems to be heartfelt messages of appreciation from his disciples. Hmm… (face palm) I did NOT do this!

Long story short, I was not in the notification chain from any of my Godbrothers on what exactly to do, or submit during a Vyasa Puja. I don’t blame them at all, but instead fault my own lack of curiosity to inquire and search out the proper process. Had I known, I would have surely wrote a message ON TIME. Now that I am belatedly aware and fully realized from that link, I wish to sincerely express the following 😇:

Thank you Gurudev. Only Krsna knows how lost I would be, yet I would think that I’m so found, without your presence in my life. Your poignant, piercing, and loving words humbled me so quick during my first darshan with you, where you expressed to me that I “need more training first” as I was endeavoring to enter deeper into the material abyss — at the time looking toward San Fransisco. Oh, how I wanted to expand business operations with the “best” business leaders the nation had to offer. Your words saved me and let me know that I still had a lot of work to do to chisel the hardened material mud from my heart and spirit.

Because of your compassion to prevent me from falling further, I began to hear and rise. Intricately listening to your words in this first darshan, and subsequently hearing you speak in YouTube videos, in person in Atlanta, and your direct encouragement via emails, I grew to discover a core puzzle piece to my journey: that I need help. Help to navigate life’s waves; help to crawl closer to Krsna’s feet; help to understand why I have been gifted these skills; help to understand the limited time I have to make the most of this fortunate opportunity in human form.

After hearing you, actually hearing you with more than just ears, I am now eager to be patient. I am now hungry to feed Krsna before myself. I am now thrilled to lay material excitement to rest. I now jump for joy at the opportunity to kneel at your lotus feet. I am now restless to wake and chant the glorious names of Govinda.

Ubuntu is a South African phrase that I learned during my time there that translates to “I am because you are”. I will shout it loud, Ubuntu Gurudev. Ubuntu Gurudev! I am who I am because of your mercy upon me.

I am deeply grateful. I will now and forevermore appreciate you each year during your trip around the sun. May I continue to shine from your rays of love. May I continue to serve as strongly, genuinely, and patiently as I possibly can. Auspiciously, your Vyasa Puja is a gift to us all.

Your humble, unqualified servant,
Kṛṣṇa-sūrya Das

Dear Guru Maharaj

Dandavat Pranam

Please Accept my Humble Obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to your Merciful Nature

On this most auspicious Vyasapuja, I recall our first communications before I took shelter and it brings joy to my heart that just as caring and compassionate as you were then you're even more now because despite all my faults you still are my well Wisher.

I sometimes want to update you with the small gains of our community growth however I realize that I can't take credit or responsibility for any of the good that we have here because it is a direct reflection of your mercy on myself and your desire for me to have devotee association.

I still think about your instructions to me and it is always embarrassing to see how I still have so far to go I recognize that as each day passes as I get older and I see my body doing what it does I recognize that it is imperative for me to see you more while you are in this Physical Realm.

Lately my frequency to listening to classes has deepened my understanding that is only by your care and compassion for me that I am where I am now and any lack is only because of my lazy nature. I look forward to finally following all of your instructions so that I can get to my full potential like you mentioned was possible.

Thank you so much for your love and compassion as it is perceivable to those around me. I wish that Krishna's Mercy continue to shine brightly on your service.

Thank you,
Your worthless Servant
Krsnadeva Das

namo om visnu padaya krsna prestaya bhutale
srimati devamrita swami iti namine

pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhakta cara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah

Dear Gurudev,
Please accept our respectful obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Yet another year, another vyasa puja got us thinking, have we done enough the past year to fill our spiritual cup! Your vyasa puja day is the perfect time for us to reflect on our achievements and devotional service.

Lately, we haven’t had the opportunity to have your personal darshan because we have been too ‘busy’ with either work, family or household matters. This is such a stark reminder that it is so easy to get engrossed in mundane material affairs.

Sometimes we feel a bit embarrassed and guilty because we feel that we have not been doing enough devotional service. However, we endeavour to always keep Krsna in the centre so that we can at least be an example to our children and they can be a step closer to developing love for God.

We really admire how you tailor your teaching style to meet the needs of each of your disciples. The way you handle difficult situations with grace and poise is truly aspiring. At times, when we are confronted with challenging situations we crumble under the pressure. But when we come to you with any issues or concerns, you always approach us with so much patience and understanding. It is always admirable, the way you always foster a safe and supportive environment for all your disciples.

On this auspicious day of your vyasa puja, we pray to you and to Krsna to give us some motivation to perform more devotional activities. We pray that we can develop some taste to chant more seriously.

Aspiring to be your servants,
Krsnamrita das, Rasamrita devi dasi, Balaram and Harinama

Dear Guru Maharaja,
My respectful pranamas.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

I look back on the formative years of my Krsna bhakti practice and appreciate how you nurtured my bhakti creeper and encouraged me in so many ways. You were there to help me in many instances of confusion and doubt and I really appreciate how you would, nine times out of ten, reply to my emails very swiftly and with a lot of care. I think I've come a long way in sixteen years, and I have much to be grateful for. With all sincerity and warmth, thank you very much!

Most of my devotion and seva to you has been channeled through two predominating areas over the years:

1) Commitment to serving my family. Despite many obstacles and handicaps, I've focused on a bhakti practice where family stability, balance between worldly duties (being in the world) and spiritual duties (but not of this world), and loving care in child raising and marriage are prioritized. I've learned a lot from my mistakes, imbalances, and impersonalistic dealings, and feel that this is a truly worthwhile offering to the parampara. It is a small one, but an important one nevertheless.

In a well-functioning spiritual society, social stability is found through a network of sweet relationships among its constituents. This needs to go on not just in single ashrama environments but also within families, and between families as well. Not that we are utopian of course, differences will undoubtedly be there, but ultimately the grace of Divinity comes swiftly to those who ‘link arms’ with each other with Krsna bhakti at the centre. This is so important, otherwise, we may fall back on a more kanistha platform of going out into the broader world and inviting others into our society of neglectful, even chaotic or harsh dealings with each other which in one sense is doing the mission a disservice, despite the good intentions.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu came together in prema bhakti with his associates and danced all night to sublime kirtan in Srivas Thakura’s house. The manifestation of love of God then spilled out into the neighbourhoods around them - inaugurating what was essentially the start of out-in-the-streets harinam. Similarly, the genesis of effective outreach starts with the love between devotees. Finding the love that Krsna is attracted to most involves a level of sensitivity and personalism toward the individual that can take many years to develop. It’s not a one-shoe-size-fits-all thing.

Although not perfect, I have seen many examples of these sweet relationships in the outreach platforms you have initiated in Wellington and Auckland over the years. I am so very grateful for this experience to have some involvement! Thank you for inviting me and accepting me within that environment!

2) Engaging my nature as a thinker.
I may not always get it right, but a steadfast commitment to independent thoughtfulness is something I have stuck to over the years. Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples to learn how to think, not just what to think. Instead of approaching theism dogmatically, I feel inspired to hear about the pristine theology of Krsna bhakti, and then repeat that in my own words as far as possible.

So, I have this tendency to examine things from different angles and not be afraid to voice things even if they are coming from a very different angle to the vox populi in our society. In this way, I feel very comfortable being me - an authentic offering to the parampara acting according to my nature.
Again, how does the ‘outside world’ perceive us? A lot of people don't want to touch religion with a fifty-foot barge pole in the world today partly because they don't want to enter a highly controlled environment where they are told exactly what to think and how to act. But the essence of Krsna consciousness is that we are not a religion - we are a transformation of the heart. This is what Srila Prabhupada wanted - a movement. And to keep that movement going we need to move hearts with our care and our warmth toward others. This is a work in progress, and I have a long way to go here personally, but it's an exciting venture to be part of!!

I very much appreciate how you have dedicated your life to helping others think outside the box and offer them an opportunity to reconnect their hearts with the Divine - Radha and Krsna's love - seen through the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's loving embrace. A life dedicated to doing that is remarkable. From a deep place in my heart, thank you very much!

It's so nice that you are able to come once a year to visit the devotees out here in Katikati - well off the beaten track. Many of us here are developing our relationship with the land and learning a lot about growing different varieties of food. I think these are really important skills to develop, especially as the world situation becomes more and more bleak and foreboding. Being able to start connecting with other people from outside our society in that common ground of earthiness at the 'grassroots’ level is one example of how we can build more relationships and open up new networks. It doesn’t have to be an “us and them” paradigm. Gaurarati is especially adept at this, and I learn much from her. Thank you for connecting us! She has taught me so much about bhakti and about the flow of the heart.

Perhaps somewhat of an unorthodox offering, of course, what else could be expected from ‘professor’ (as you say) Krsnananda? The thing I love about bhakti the most is that we are able to offer our hearts to the Lord at any time, any place, anywhere. I hope to do more and more of that in the future. Please grant me your best wishes to do so!

I look forward to the end-of-year ‘recharge’ festival, where so many sweet interactions take place, thank you again for this wonderful gift, every year!

With sincere gratitude,
Krsnananda dasa

nama oṁ viṣnu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine
pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ
Dearest Gurudeva,
Please accept our humble obeisance’s.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you
As a dedicated follower of Srila Prabhupada, committed to spreading Krishna consciousness, we are immensely grateful for your spiritual leadership and guidance. Your ability to lead us on the path of Bhakti, while simultaneously caring for our spiritual and physical well-being, is truly inspiring.
Your insightful teachings, compassionate interactions, and practical advice have significantly influenced our spiritual growth. It would have been difficult to cross through this journey after moving from Melbourne.
Gurudev your presence creates a serene and uplifting atmosphere, making us feel secure and connected to Krishna. Through your divine grace, the Brisbane congregation has provided us with the opportunity to serve Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and connect with other devotees. Your blessings have enabled us to participate in various devotional activities, deepening our spiritual connection and fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Due to job purposes I am constantly travelling between Brisbane to Melbourne which is constantly giving opportunities to go to Melbourne and recharge and come back to Brisbane with intense motive to serve. During this journey I have been getting opportunity to take your darshan and guidance personally (we call in our slang double dhamaka).
During my recent visit to Melbourne which fortunately happened to have your visit was very interesting. I happened to take one of our staff members to the outreach programme conducted by the Western Suburbs BV Group.
After the programme this person was sharing very excitedly that he got right guidance at right time. He is so inspired later that day enquired me how he can listen to your lectures more and since then requesting to give him a continuous hare Krishna mantra player or kirtans. 2 days later I was invited to their place and showed that he found a way to continuously play Hare Krishna Maha Mantra in his home by buying a small speaker with a facility for memory card where he is continuously listening the hare Krishna Maha mantra.
My only prayer at the lotus of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna is that they keep you in good health and that you fulfil the desires of your dear spiritual master.
We beg you to give us your constant guidance and keep visiting Brisbane so we can be of some use in your service to Srila Prabhupada.
Your humble servants
Kula Pavana Das
Bhuvana Pavana Devi Dasi
Yamuna and
Sachit

Dear Srila Gurudev,

nama om vishu padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrta swami iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah

I offer my respectful obeisances to Srimate Devamrta Swami who is very dear to Lord Krsna on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Obeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching, competence in vaisnava dealings, selfness and compassion.

Happy Vyasa Puja!

I want to thank you for letting me serve Sri Sri RadhaGopinatha and Their devotees. I'm grateful for your guidance. I wouldn't be on my Krishna consciousness journey without you.

I still have a lot to learn and do. Your instructions and knowledge from your classes and writing has helped me understand Krishna consciousness even better. Your support and encouragement have helped me grow in both my life and my faith for Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.

On this special day, I want to thank you and renew my commitment to you. Your teaching has helped me understand Krishna consciousness more deeply. I promise to work hard to be a good student of yours and Srila Prabhupada. Your teaching, especially through online classes, lectures, and our one-on-one meetings, has helped me achieve things I never thought possible. For example,
I never thought I could try to be a committed Krishna consciousness devotee, but with your help and guidance, I've found a pathway to overcome the challenges in my life. There were many times I didn’t believe in my doings, but your guidance helped me overcome my doubts and work towards achieving my Krishna consciousness goals.

One of my goals was to read Srila Prabhupada's books every day. I've been reading many of his books, and for the past few years, I've been able to read at least one verse of the Srimad Bhagvatham each day. I'll keep doing this. I'm also helping with Sri Sri RadhaGopinatha's website, festival campaigns, and other digital work for ISKCON Sydney. I'm also helping to transcribe your lectures under the guidance of Vinoda Kovinda Das. I ask for your blessings so I can serve the community well and grow spiritually.

Also, I take this opportunity to pray to Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri RadhaGopinatha and all the devotees for your good health and request you to keep guiding me to full-fill Srila Prabhupada’s vision and mission.

Hare Krsna
Your servant and student
Kumara Sanandana Das
Oct 2024.

Dear Gurudev,

We offer our humble obeisances at your feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Owing to your mercy and compassion, we are fortunate to witness and participate in this glorious day of your 74th Vyasa Puja.
Every year, through our Godfamily, we hear more and more of your glories, how you've travelled throughout the world, tirelessly and selflessly spreading Krishna Consciousness. This makes us feel more and more grateful, gives us immense motivation and dwarfs the little inconveniences one might face in the path of Bhakti.

We are very very grateful for your generosity in providing us your personal time, and your guidance through a tumultuous time, which continues to present its ups and downs. You always had a very crisp and clear message all these years, when you would somehow or another convey the message - “this world is a dangerous place”. Although we’ve heard this multiple times, it’s only when faced with adversity, the message is beginning to click, and we’re starting to understand the gravity and profoundness of these simple, yet very powerful statements. I (Kumudavana), although trying to follow your instructions about taking the reading of Srila Prabhupada’s books seriously, will always need your blessings to be able to execute this instruction.

You reminded me of our forgetfulness of whatever we learn in Krishna Consciousness, and ever since that conversation, I’m attempting to daily remind myself, that in whatever I do, my aim should be to improve my spiritual consciousness. I try to remind myself about one of the terms you often use in your discourses - “Spiritual Economics”, what it means to me as a Grihasta, and how I can dovetail my money making activities to ensure they benefit not just me and my family, but others as well.

All of us in the Vana family, collectively seek and request your blessings, to be able to improve our Bhakti, give spiritual consciousness and vision to each other, and our children. We pray that through executing your instructions, Krishna gives us the intelligence to utilise whatever situation we get put through, in improving our Bhakti, enable us to better serve him, serve you and Srila Prabhupada’s movement.

Your menial servants
Bhadravana Das, Kusumavana Devi Dasi, Kumudavana Das and Nidhivana Devi Dasi

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you.

Thank you for allowing your disciples to record and share your lectures on streaming platforms as you continuously travel the globe and preach. This endless flow of transcendental content allows us a glimpse into your movements, your meditations, your endless realizations and your deepest concerns, of which we try to hold as our own, tiny and marginal as we are.

As I grow in Bhakti, I can appreciate more and more your unique contribution to Srila Prabhupada’s movement. Your western outreach motto of “making it easy” to come to Krishna Consciousness, through your Lounge/Loft centres, seems to me to be the bedrock of successful western preaching, and a testament to your deep compassion.

You have raised such incredible disciples, without whom I would not be here, what to speak of the guidance, support, friendship, encouragement and inspiration they give me. In this world, a person is fortunate if they have even one genuine well-wisher in their life, but due to my great fortune I find I have a bunch. Thank you also for giving me such a good husband. Although you were not directly involved in our coming together, I see any special fortune in my life as a result of my relationship to you. He is a huge blessing and a friend to walk the bhakti path with, and I am very grateful for his association.

As I prepare to fly back to Los Angeles, many exciting service adventures and opportunities lay ahead. But we are so unqualified to fulfill these opportunities. Please give us your mercy, Gurudeva, so that we can be instrumental, positive contributors to Srila Prabhupada’s movement. We see endless service opportunities in Los Angeles for “making it easy” and for devotee care. We are residing in Los Angeles by your desire, and by your blessings Los Angeles can become a gurgling freshwater stream that can facilitate prospective bhakti candidates to come to Krishna Consciousness, grow in Krishna Consciousness and to give Krishna Consciousness to others. I have no doubt in that.

I hope for others to have the easy opportunity that I had in coming to and growing in Krishna Consciousness and getting a taste for devotional service, not just holding a religious sentiment.

Thank you for thinking of lowly people like myself.

Aspiring to be of service to you,
Your spiritual daughter

Kunja-mandana devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaj,
All glories to you!
All glories to Srila prabhupad!
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
Guru Maharaj, we are very much grateful for accepting us in your shelter.I am glad that I am part of this beautiful God family where we get guided at each and every step of our life.
Gurudev, even though I have some health challenges, that living a every day life full of gratitude and practising Krishna consciousness,and also in an organised way there is less conflict and more peace, thereby getting good night sleep.GuruMaharaj, this year we are aspiring for initiation from you.
Last year, we had the good fortune of attending the recharge festival in Newzealand.
We were very fortunate to have your blissful association in the morning during lunch and in the evening with ecstatic kirtans.
That whole week was filled with so much positivity, that we look forward for many such recharge festivals in the years to come.
On this auspicious Vyasa puja day, I pray to lord narasimha dev to give you good health so that many fallen conditioned souls like me can be benefited.
GuruMaharaj I try to repeat this one point that you mention in most of your lectures, that by watering the root all the branches are nourished.So i say this to myself every night before going to bed to take association of Krishna and not Maya so that I can sleep well.
Please Gurudev help me to overcome my anarthas so that I can be firmly fixed in this path of bhakti.
I thank my shiksha gurus who continuously motivates and guide us.
Your servant and insignificant daughter,
Lalitha.

Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisance’s,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you!

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your guidance and support on my spiritual path. Your teachings have provided me with the strength to navigate the challenges of the material world. There have been times when maya’s power has seemed overwhelming, leaving me feeling lost and alone. Your lectures have been a source of solace, offering invaluable insights into deepening my relationship with Krishna, chanting my rounds with attentiveness and seeking shelter with devotees. Although I still have a long journey ahead, I am eternally grateful for your unwavering support and encouragement.

Your life serves as a constant reminder of the importance of rekindling our lost relationship with the Supreme Personality, Sri Krishna. Your dedication to serving Srila Prabhupada and his mission is a shining example for us all.

Thank you, Gurudev, for your tireless efforts in spreading Krishna consciousness. Your teachings continue to inspire and uplift countless devotees around the world. May your blessings be upon us all as we strive to serve Krishna with devotion and humility.

Thank you gurudev
Your aspiring daughter,
Lavanga-lata devi dasi

Hare Krishna dear Gurudev
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to srila prabhupad.
Dear Gurudev thank you so much for accepting me as your spiritual daughter. You are very loving father. You always make sure my prabhu is taking good care of me. Many times so many thing going in my mind .you always read my mind. Without telling anything,you gives all solutions.
Iam very thankful to you from bottom of my heart. Please give me more and more opportunities to serve you. I will always pray for your good health.
Iam begging to you with folded hands please shower your mercy so i may get taste in harinam.
Please shower your blessings and keep me and my family at your lotus feet.
Your daughter
Leela rasa dasi

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to you on this most auspicious day.

Guru Maharaja, with great humility, I offer my heartfelt gratitude for the mercy you have shown to this unworthy soul.

It is only through your grace that I have been able to approach even a glimpse of Lord Krishna’s divine teachings and chant His holy names.

Without your compassion and guidance, I would remain lost.

I humbly beg for your continued blessings, that I may always remember Krishna and remain steadfast in my service, however small it may be.

Please help me, Guru Maharaja, to walk this spiritual path with sincerity, humility, and devotion, always seeking to please you and the Lord.

Your servant eternally,
Lila Latha devi dasi

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you, Gurudeva. There are not words sufficient to express my gratitude, love and respect for you. So I pray that my obedience to your instructions will be a living testament and will be pleasing to you. May you continue to be blessed with good health as you carry out the instructions of your spiritual master, our beloved founder acarya, Srila Prabhupada, bringing Krishna consciousness to people all over the world. I am eternally grateful for the shelter of your lotus feet. Hare Krishna.
Your humble servant and your loving sister, Lila-Kishori Devi dasi.

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my sincere obeisances at Your lotus feet. All glories to His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. All glories to You, His genuine follower, empowered to touch and transform the hearts of inhabitants of age of Kali.

In sastra we can find explanation of necessary qualities of genuine disciple, such as humility, willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of pleasing Spiritual master, self-discipline, austerity, obedience etc. When Narada Muni gave instruction to sons of Daksha they were able at once understand them and act accordingly, because they had necessary qualities, they were not kali-yuga disciples.

Sometimes they say guru means heavy, meaning that guru give instructions that are difficult to follow. Please kindly forgive me, but I will take liberty to give other meaning to this heaviness. It is heavy to be a guru in Kali-yuga, to lead mandāḥ sumanda-matayo back to Godhead. It is a hard work to try to help those, who think they do not need help, or to try to help those, who even want help, but lack self-discipline, decisiveness, just people of weak character. As they say it is quite a job pulling Hippo out of the bog. How difficult to pull the soul stuck in the bog of false conceptions of love, happiness and success, this is really a heavy task. Thank You for giving us real understanding of life, removing the fog of false hopes and dreams.

I sincerely grateful for Your great patience, kindness and care. Despite of lack of any qualification on my side You continuously invest Your time and heart trying to push and pull this ‘’hippo’’ towards Krishna. And I know You do show your deep care for so many souls, and I can only sincerely admire how You handle all of these: traveling, sadhana, management, personal care of so many others.

In this world there is no any real shelter, but Lotus Feet of Spiritual Master. This insignificant, lacking any qualification servant of Yours humbly prays: Please kindly allow me to be engaged in Your service according to Your desire.

Your insignificant servant,
Lila-madhurya dasi

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

I have recently been making an attempt to understand the Guru diciple relationship more and to assimilate how one can come to the position of a first class diciple through the association and instruction.

It brings me back to a point which is so often brought up within Krishna Consciousness… make sure to choose a spiritual master who knows and lives the tattva that he teaches.

Gurudeva you embody this so completely, from your constant travelling and preaching to the effect that you have on those that you come into contact with. Your instructions to me have often been short and concise but carry the deepest most relevant messages that I only come to truly understand as time goes on.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.3.21) it says:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta
jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ
brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

“Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.”

As stated above this is exemplified so beautifully by you. Not only during your lectures but in the personal darshan times. You have made issues that I felt to be so big and deep, become small and insignificant whilst re-centring my mind onto our true occupation in the most compassionate way - Constant devotional service to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Despite everything I have written above, I’m still a fallen soul who makes many mistakes and seems to possess each of the anarthas in full. Please continue to provide me with your most exalted shelter and guidance so that I may be able to continue to serve your lotus feet; one day in the hopes of attaining eternal service to Radha Krishna. I am nothing without your mercy and guidance which is the topmost shelter for a fallen soul. You have so kindly fathered me, encouraged me, engaged me in service and even so I can only sincerely beg that you grant me the blessings to continue to take your association in that way.

Thank you Gurudev for being a beacon of light that expels the darkness of ignorance from the animal like society today. Thank you Gurudev for your incomparable dedication to the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Thank you Gurudev for your constant kindness and compassion despite my many faults. Thank you Gurudev for being the topmost boatman that is carrying us to back to Godhead.

It is mentioned in the Caitanya Caritamrta that:

guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

“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 Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”

I don’t know what I have done to deserve the mercy that you have given so freely to me but I do know that I cannot ever repay the debt for the transcendental knowledge, bliss and mercy that you have given. I simply sincerely pray that I may carry out your instructions and mission in the hopes that one day I may be able to preach and cultivate in a way that pleases you and Srila Prabhupada.

Your aspiring servant
Lolākṣī Rādhā Devī Dāsī

Namah om Vishnupadaya
Krishna Prestaya bhutale
Srimate Devamrita Swami iti namine

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All Glories to Your Divine services.

On this auspicious occasion of your Divine appearance day, I once again bow down at Your feet and beg for Your mercy and blessings to remain dovetailed in the service of Krishna. Through the repeated bashings of material nature, one is forced to realise that indeed there is no shelter anywhere except under the Lotus feet of Guru and Krishna. There is no remedy to our material problems other than chanting the Holy Name of the Lord. You are the only one who can connect me to Krishna through the Guru Parampara system. You are always approachable and responsive, wherever asked for help. You direct me in a deep and profound way so that I steer out of trouble and perform devotional service in a smooth manner. You treat me with compassion and show genuine fatherly affection. You are always helpful and full of mercy.

Each interaction with You has been a divine occasion and takes me closer to Krishna, the source of all pleasure. This year, your disciples have been broadcasting Your lectures given throughout the world in a more coordinated and centralised manner so that nothing gets missed. This has been a great resource for all Your disciples and followers, as we are in constant immersion in these nectarian topics about Krishna. I am very thankful to all those who are working make this a possibility. Joining the Hare Krishna movement is the best decision I have taken in life, as I am realising with the passing days. From my youth to now middle age and progressing towards the grey years, I am faced with more and more material challenges to which there are no solutions. The solution to all problems lies in the spiritual path, beginning with chanting the holy name, sadhu sanga, studying Srimad Bhagvatam, residing close to the dham and engaging in deity worship. More importantly, to share the spiritual realisation with others who are less fortunate and uplift them in whatever way possible, Krishna willing. Taking more and more shelter of Krishna and depending less on material avenues, keeping the mind alert and engaged in Krishna katha as much as possible.

I pray to Lord Krishna to bless you with a long and healthy life. May you continue to guide my family, and countless other disciples to stay on the path of unmotivated and uninterrupted service to Krishna, eternally.

Happy appearance day, Maharaj.

Your lowly servant,
Madhava Seva Das and family.

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you!

On your recent visit to Wellington you were making the point about personalism to me. You said “Social media is limited, people are getting burnt out on it, more lonely than ever before. The more there is personal contact the better. These days to make a phone call seems like its against everyone’s religion. We need to get back to the basics of meeting people face to face. Lets not get totally hypnotised by social media and think its the only thing. Its just a tool in the tool kit. Everyone I talked to on sunday said ‘oh such wonderful persons here!’ That’s what they are looking for. Social media has made them more lonely than ever. It promised companionship and just delivered loneliness. The more there can be personal contact the better.”

Thank you for the reminder and also your wonderful example as always. I started noticing more than before, since you said that to me how personal you are with everyone. Not just the guests, with your disciples aswell. You don’t take anyone for granted. You make it point to treat everyone with personalism. You extend yourself to every devotee in the community.

Your recent visit and this point about being personal made me think very deeply about what I want out of my life. I want to be able to inspire people and care for them in a genuine way that you do.

I also started thinking actually this is what it takes to attract someone to Krsna and keep them inspired to stay in bhakti despite all the up and downs of life.

You very lovingly and carefully deal with newbies but once they take up the bhakti process you don’t stop giving them the care and attention they need to grow and stay in bhakti but you also inspire them to give bhakti to others. This is the quality of a mahabhagvat. Transforming people’s hearts. It takes so much effort and care. Srila Prabhupada states in CC adi 1.46 “A spiritual master in not an enjoyer of facilities offered by his disciples. He 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.”

This care and personalism is the key in helping someone take up the bhakti process and in keeping them inspired to stick it out no matter what external circumstances maybe. It might seem basic and simple but its crucial. I have known this but got a deeper insight into it last month due to your mercy.

This innate desire to care comes from Krsna. Krsna cares about every living entity no matter what type of body or conditioning someone has. On your website it says “The art of love means to know how to inspire someone, regardless of their material conditionings and circumstances, in coming closer to Krishna.” This is so profound and definitely not easy to do.

I wanted to offer this bhajan for your pleasure on this auspicious day:

Gurudeva, give to this servant just one drop of mercy. I am lower than a blade of grass. Give me all help.

Give me strength. Let me be as you are, without desires or aspirations.

I offer you all respects, for thus I may have the energy to know you correctly. Then, by chanting the holy name in great ecstasy, all my offenses will cease.

O Lord and Master! When will such mercy fall to this one who is weak and devoid of intelligence? Allow me to be with you.

If you examine me, you will find no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. If you are not merciful unto me, I can only weep, and I will not be able to maintain my life.

I hope to get some realisation of this beautiful bhajan one day. Thank you!

Your servant
Madhava mohini devi dasi

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

This year, I've had the chance to meditate extensively on the direction of my life—what I want to do, who I want to be, and how I want my life to look.
The question keeps resurfacing: What do I want for my life? Well, I want to serve you. It's hard to imagine my life without your service being a central part of it. Maybe I'm just a fanatical Brahmacarini who isn’t ready for the harsh reality of the Grihastha ashram, but serving your projects gives me a reason to live. As challenges arise, I'm constantly forced to reexamine what I want and how I want to live. Can living a mission-based life really be realistic?

When I first arrived in BL in 2016, I saw a picture of Sri Sri Radha Damodara on Cancala Lakshmi’s laptop, and I was captivated. "Who are these deities? Where are they from? I want to go where they are." Over the course of my years in the ashram, I went through different phases, but the dream of living at Gita Nagari was always quietly present in my heart.
At one point, I mentioned to one of my mentors the idea of living in the temple. Her response was that temple living is a luxury, and city preaching is the reality. Although I tried to disregarded this desire, thinking the only way of pleasing you was staying in wellington. I continued to harbor the idea, only sharing it with Krsna. As my time in the ashram was coming to an end, I started praying more intensely, "Please Radha Damodara, arrange a situation where I can serve You and the residing devotees at Gita Nagari." "Please Krsna, let me associate with someone from Gita Nagari. Let me come there to serve You."
Needless to say, Sri Sri Radha Damodara took note and brought me here. And by Their mercy, I haven’t been evicted yet.

Gurudeva my desire to serve here might be selfish, and might not be practical, and maybe won't last, but regardless I'm praying to you that I'll always firmly remain attached to serving your projects. That I’ll always remain close to your lotus feet.

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam vishame bhavambudhau
kripaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrisham vichintaya

"O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I am Your eternal servant, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet."

This world is an ocean of death, and sometimes my mind is like a cyclone, pulls me into an abyss. Please continue to give me your instructions and corrections. With your guidance and expert association, I can become the best version of myself.

In a recent darshan, I expressed my desire to you to learn how to train the oxen. In my heart, I was trying to escape my kitchen duties, to run from my impending responsibilities and give in to my lazy nature. You expertly picked up on this internal mood, and in your evening lecture on the Panihati festival, you simultaneously called me out and encouraged me. When I asked a question about cooking with ghee, you said, “I know you’re no cowherd girl—you’re the Raghava Pandit of the kitchen. If you want, you can make it happen.”
In that moment, you perfectly encapsulated my service and encouraged me in a way that made it clear: My service is in the kitchen, as I hope it will be for the rest of this short life.

Some devotees recently visited from Philadelphia and shared how they go to Kensington once a week to distribute prasadam. After doing a bit of research, I found out that Kensington is known as "the city of zombies" due to the rampant use of xylazine, a horse tranquillizer that's more dangerous than fentanyl. I immediately thought, "If it weren't for Krishna consciousness, that's exactly where I’d be—dead on the street."

My deep desire is to give as many unfortunate souls as possible the chance to take Krishna prasadam. I don’t feel qualified to carry out this mission yet, but I pray that one day I will be able to fulfill this dream of mass prasadam distribution and assist in your preaching mission.

As I endeavour to dedicate my life to your service, I pray that I may develop the qualities of a real Brahmana, become steady in all aspects of life, and cultivate a deep desire to become an expert in whatever I do.
Praying at your lotus feet and the feet of the entire parampara, I ask for your blessings to continue my service with a clean and pure heart, always seeing the good qualities in others.

Your servant and daughter,
Madhupāna-līlā devi dasi

Jai Srila Gurudev

Nama Om Vishnu Padaya Krishna Presthaya Bhutale Srimate Devamrita Swamin iti namine
Pracare purva-daksyam ca, Bhaktacara-pravinta Pararthatapi Karunyam, Yasya sarve ca te namah

Please accept my humble obeisances at your Lotus Feet. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada warns us of the unsteady position we find ourselves in. The material world is illusion and the mind is flickering. Yet, despite this, we anchor our identity to both the mind and this world. The Bhagavad Gita wonderfully explains this world as "places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place". Even though we hear these warnings over and over again, our own stubborn determination to enjoy takes over. This time, I will get it right. This time, I will solve the puzzle of material happiness.

Yet, we still suffer, trying to change this material situation or another. You explained that no mater where we go, our mind will follow. Our conditioning will still be there. We cannot escape our Karma and our conditioning. I have had my difficulties in finding my place in Srila Prabhupada's home. Thinking the grass will be greener or at least have better options.

Your example shows us the real drive behind finding a place in Srila Prabhupada's house. Where can I do the most service? Where can I be the most helpful? You left the height of material lifestyle and education for unlimited spiritual gain. Many would have called your mad but you saw the value in Srila Prabhupada's books. You had no consideration for the ideal situation but simply went where the action was. Intense book marathons, behind the Iron Curtain, you never looked for comfort. You showed how our desire for service and pleasing Srila Prabhupada will give us all success. As you famously said "I may live or die but Bhagavad Gita must go on".

Please give us the taste for even a drop of devotional service. Guide us in maintaining a clear vision of our goals, so we do not become ensnared once more in the illusions of Maya and the intricate web of material existence.

Your Servant,
Madhurānanda das

Dearest Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances at Your divine lotus feet. All glories to his Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada! All glories unto your divine feet as you are an ocean of auspicious qualities.

nama om vishnu-padaya Krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate Devamrita-svamin iti namine

pracäre purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacära-pravinäta
pararthatäpi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah

All glories to You on this auspicious Vyasa Puja day. On this memorable day, I pray to Lord Krishna for Your good health and many more years of loving service to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.

I am very indebted to Lord Krishna for allowing such a wonderful spiritual pure hearted Guru to come into my life. I feel so fortunate and blessed when You compassionately accepted me and my husband as Your disciples. Thank You so much Gurudev for Your love, kindness, and inspiration You bring to my life.

Only by your sweet loving mercy I am in Krishna consciousness and trying to do some service. Whenever my mind thinks of you, it immediately becomes full of joy even in the midst of all kinds of stress, frustration and disappointment. You are my spiritual father. Your valuable guidance has given me great courage and enthusiasm to manage my spiritual life.

This year I feel very blessed as I got Your beautiful personal association during our trip to Gita Nagari. Most evenings You blessed us with Your melodious kirtan and nectarean Bhagavatham classes. Listening to Your discourses feel like hearing the Bhagavatham verses come to life.

This year, with Your blessing we had the opportunity to visit Mayapur Dham for the first time. This was a very spiritual uplifting trip for us.

You have touched the hearts of so many fallen souls. Your instructions are your real loving grace. Without your loving grace, one cannot make any spiritual advancement. I have no place more secure than your lotus feet. You are my only shelter.

Through Your lectures, writings, and kirtans, I feel You are always with me, inspiring, guiding and keeping me engaged in devotional service.

Praying to get more personal association. Please bless me and my family so that we continue to serve your mission in the mood of the servant of the servant of the servant.

I beg for Your forgiveness for any offences I have committed during this offering.

Sincerely,
Your humble servant and disciple,
Madhurya-sindhu devi dasi
Dallas, Texas.
Oct 7, 2023

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please humble obeisances.
All Glory to Srila Prabhupada.

On this very auspicious day, I wish you good health.

Not even a single day passes without remembering you and your instructions. I'm very fortunate that we got this wonderful opportunity to serve you in the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

I'm enjoying my sevas in the temple. I regularly take part in garland making, diety dressing, and decoration on festival days.

As the days and years have passed I'm slowly relishing the nectar of devotional service that we've got by the mercy of your lotus feet.

Dear Guru Maharaj, I don't have any qualifications to receive the mercy of Lord Krishna &amp; Radharani, but because of your love for me, I'm getting it. May I request if you tolerate my limitations and bless me so that I get engaged in your service?


Aspiring to be your servant,
Madhurya Dham Devi Dasi
(Priya Munshi, Pune)

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you on this special day.

Recently we were learning about the lives of important personalities with my students at the Hare Krishna School. We studied the biography of Martin Luther King Jr and Anne Frank, as well as others.

One day, I chose to share with them about a hero in my life as a way of modelling to them how to write a biography. Suddenly, I found myself surcharged with enthusiasm while I was talking about you. How you gave up the promised high life of being a graduate to one of the most prestigious universities in the world to take up monastic life how you wrote such amazing books - they are fascinated by Vedic India. How you started The Loft and how I owe my life to that loving endeavour. If it wasn’t for your desire to make bhakti accessible to everyone, I would have never known about Krishna and would still be wandering around aimlessly in this material universe for countless lifetimes…

Then it came to the section of challenges/adversity. I started relating to them how you risked your life to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire to spread Krishna consciousness behind the iron curtain. They were in shock! I told them your motto: I may live or die, but Bhagavad Gita lives forever. The teacher aide, Yashomati mataji even shared with them what she had heard you tell in a class at the temple; how Krishna protected you from being seen by the police when they crashed a secret home program. They couldn’t believe it!

When the section on quotes came, I told them two things that you have said to me and many others, which I hope to live by: “A selfish life is a miserable life” and “The more Krishna you give, the more Krishna you get”. By that moment, I felt such a spiritual high that I had goosebumps all over my arms and I couldn’t stop smiling. How can I be so fortunate as to have such an extraordinary personality as my spiritual master? I definitely do not deserve this privilege. I apologise for always asking so many questions when you give class…I just really want to take full advantage of your association, since it is so meaningful in my life.

I am trying to apply the last answer you gave me in regards to the qualities of hearing on the highest level: intensity and enthusiasm. Those two qualities are very prevalent in my personality already, but now I need to apply them to my reading. Already it has made a huge difference in my experience. This morning I was reading from the beginning of Caitanya Caritamrita Antya Lila and I was encountering so much nectar! It gave me hope that even a dog went back to the spiritual world because of receiving a devotee’s mercy and taking prasadam and chanting and dancing in ecstasy. Srila Prabhupada's magnanimous outreach mood truly shines in his purport:



CC Antya Lila 1.32
The next day, no one saw that dog, for it had obtained its spiritual body and departed for Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual kingdom.

PURPORT
This is the result of sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83)—consequent association with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and promotion back home, back to Godhead. This result is possible even for a dog, by the mercy of the Vaiṣṇava. Therefore, everyone in the human form of life should be induced to associate with devotees. By rendering a little service, even by eating prasādam, what to speak of chanting and dancing, everyone can be promoted to Vaikuṇṭhaloka. It is therefore requested that all our devotees in the ISKCON community become pure Vaiṣṇavas, so that by their mercy all the people of the world will be transferred to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, even without their knowledge. Everyone should be given a chance to take prasādam and thus be induced to chant the holy names Hare Kṛṣṇa and also dance in ecstasy. By these three processes, although performed without knowledge or education, even an animal went back to Godhead.



That is exactly what we do at The Loft! Thanks to your causeless mercy, people from all sorts of backgrounds somehow or other show up on a Sunday afternoon and before they know it, they are chanting the holy names, having delicious prasadam and dancing like there’s no tomorrow! I feel extremely grateful to be able to assist in this most valuable service.

As I read on, again I was struck by the importance of this service that you have allowed us to take part in:



CC Antya Lila 1.117
“Had You not previously bestowed Your mercy on him,” they said, “it would not have been possible for him to express Your internal feelings.”

PURPORT
Devotees acknowledge Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s special mercy upon Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in the following words:

śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

“When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?”

The special function of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is to establish the feelings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These feelings are His desires that His special mercy be spread throughout the world in this Kali-yuga.

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

The desire of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is that all over the world everyone, in every village and every town, know of Him and His saṅkīrtana movement. These are the inner feelings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī committed to writing all these feelings of the Lord. Now again, by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same feelings are being spread all over the world by the servants of the Gosvāmīs, and devotees who are pure and simple will appreciate this attempt. As concluded by Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, however, those who are on the level of hogs and dogs will never appreciate such a great attempt. Yet this does not matter to the preachers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult, for all over the world they will continue to perform this responsible work, even though persons who are like cats and dogs do not appreciate them.



The Loft outreach is directly following Lord Caitanya’s innermost desire to give out bhakti to everyone in this dark age of selfishness and delusion.

This term at school I have decided to teach my students 5 shlokas from Caitanya Caritamrita that I have chosen from Srila Prabhupada’s selected verses book. The first one is:



CC Madhya Lila 108
jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya-kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’
kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’


“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṇa has three varieties of energy.



Due to being part of Krishna’s marginal energy, I know I can get covered over by his material energy very very easily, or as Srila Prabhupada clarified to his disciple:

Yogeshvara : I said to&nbsp;Srila&nbsp;Prabhupada, “I must have fallen&nbsp;in&nbsp;maya.”&nbsp;Srila&nbsp;Prabhupada&nbsp;said, “You’re&nbsp;always&nbsp;in&nbsp;maya,&nbsp;but&nbsp;sometimes&nbsp;you&nbsp;fall&nbsp;into&nbsp;Krishna.“&nbsp;

So in order to fall into Krishna, and avoid being in maya or material consciousness, you have kindly given me some engagement in outreach. To have potency in sharing Krishna consciousness to others, I need to be tasting the nectar of Krishna consciousness myself. And I feel a sense of responsibility towards my children and my students and aspiring devotees or curious newcomers to be a good example of a practicing devotee.

Gurudeva, please bless me with the strength to fall into Krishna constantly and hopefully, like the dog, I will receive your mercy and please Lord Caitanya with my devotional service.

Your tiny servant,
Madhuryamrita devi dasi

Dear Gurudev,

On this auspicious occasion of your Vyas Puja, we humbly offer our respects and gratitude to your lotus feet and pray to Sri Sri Radha Vallabha for your good health. You embody Srila Vyasadeva's divine wisdom, guiding us on the path of bhakti. Your selfless service and unwavering dedication to the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada is inspirational and motivates us to strive to progress in our spiritual lives. Your example shows that true spirituality is not just a philosophy but a living, breathing reality and is much more than meets the eye. The nature of this material world is so complicated that under the influence of Maya, it is easy to get swayed away into the ocean of material existence. However, your causeless mercy and shelter have given us the courage to face life's challenges, assess things from a spiritual perspective, and find solace in the divine. Your words, imbued with spiritual potency, have had a transformative impact on our mindset, and we are forever indebted to you for your causeless mercy. May we always remain under your guidance, sheltered by your wisdom, love, and compassion. We pray that you continue illuminating our paths, dispelling the darkness of ignorance, and leading us to the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Vallabha.
We look forward to your divine association and opportunities to serve you.

Your aspiring servants,
Mahat-Sevaka Das and Radhika-Seva

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

When Mahaprabhu eventually visited Vrindavan, He performed many sweet and memorable pastimes there, and of them I find one especially relevant and instructive.

Many people in Vraja at the time believed that they had seen Krishna dancing on the hoods of the Kaliya serpent at night in the Yamuna. Actually though, they were mistaking a boat in the river for the Kaliya serpent, the light in the boat for the jewels on his heads, and the boat's operator, a fisherman, for Krishna.

Interestingly, even Mahaprabhu's personal servant believed the hearsay and asked Him if he could also go and take darshan.

At that time Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya placed a request at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said, “Please give me permission to go see Lord Kṛṣṇa directly.” (CC Mad 18.99)

Srila Prabhupada comments in his purport:

"The puzzled people who visited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were actually seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa, but they were mistaken in thinking that Lord Kṛṣṇa had come to Kālīya Lake. They all said that they had seen Kṛṣṇa directly performing His pastimes on the hoods of the serpent Kālīya and that the jewels on Kālīya’s hoods were blazing brilliantly. Because they were speculating with their imperfect knowledge, they saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as an ordinary human being and a boatman’s light in the lake as Kṛṣṇa. One must see things as they are through the mercy of a spiritual master; otherwise, if one tries to see Kṛṣṇa directly, he may mistake an ordinary man for Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa for an ordinary man."

Remarkable it is that one can be so close to Krishna, but at the same time so far away.

Srila Prabhupada's purport concludes:

"Everyone has to see Kṛṣṇa according to the verdict of Vedic literatures presented by the self-realized spiritual master. A sincere person is able to see Kṛṣṇa through the transparent via medium of Śrī Gurudeva, the spiritual master. Unless one is enlightened by the knowledge given by the spiritual master, he cannot see things as they are, even though he remains constantly with the spiritual master. This incident at Kālīya-daha is very instructive for those eager to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Srila Prabhupada explains here that a sincere person sees not through their imperfect senses, but through eyes of knowledge given by the mercy of the spiritual master through the process of submissive hearing.

Despite all my shortcomings, I hope to become that kind of person.

Praying to you with all my heart for ever increasing sincerity and gratitude,
Mahavan das

Hare Krishna
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my respectful obeisances unto your divine lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On the auspicious occasion of your appearance day, I want to express my gratitude for accepting me as your disciple and binding me in the chain of the Gaudiya Vaishnava parampara.

Guru Maharaj, I have the desire to become a brahmachari and dedicate my whole life to Srila Prabhupada’s sankirtan movement—traveling to every corner of the world, performing harinam, distributing books, and spreading the message of Lord Caitanya.

But Maya is so strong that I feel trapped. Lusty desires, the tendency to enjoy, greed, envy, and pride are deeply rooted in my heart. Until I can develop a true taste for reading and distributing Srimad Bhagavatam, I can’t escape from that.

Guru Maharaj, please shower your mercy upon me so that I may develop a taste for hearing, reading, studying, and distributing Srimad Bhagavatam, and become a better servant of Sriman Nrsimha Prabhu, Kamsari Sena Prabhu, Bhava-vibhusana Prabhu, and Isvaresvara Prabhu. They have really inspired me to become a brahmachari and serve you Guru Maharaj, with thought, word, and deed.
Guru Maharaj this Bhadra Purnima i was fortunate to deliver 4 sets of Srimad Bhagavatam by your mercy.
Hare Krishna

Your servant,
Mana-krt Das

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

I am grateful to you for so much, but frequently I think about and appreciate, with awe, the transformative power of your lectures. Infused with deepest compassion, your words shatter illusions within seconds and give us a glimpse of the spiritual world. You are always enlivened, speaking on transcendental topics about the Lord, His devotees, and devotional service to Him. And you enliven those who hear.

In Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3, chapter 7, verse 39, Vidura inquires from Maitreya:

"Spotless devotees of the Lord have mentioned the source of such knowledge. How could one have knowledge of devotional service and detachment without the help of such devotees?"

You are a spotless devotee Gurudeva. Thank you for imparting transcendental knowledge, for elevating humanity all over the globe with your inspiring lectures. Deftly and knowledgeably, you point out the insignificance of the conditioned soul’s faith in material progress, of their misconception that consumerism is the source of happiness, and the futility in pursuing this. Only one as spotless as you can convince people that this is not the kind of life that will lead them to happiness.

Vidura then humbly requests:

"My dear sage, I have put all these questions before you with a view to knowing the pastimes of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are the friend of all, so kindly describe them for all those who have lost their vision." (Verse 40)

Gurudeva, you are the true friend to all those in the world who by the influence of the material energy have lost sight of their connection with Krishna and their real position as servants of the Lord, therefore becoming displaced and unhappy. Just a few minutes of listening to you can expand the eager and discerning listener’s vision – giving them a higher purpose.

Thank you for your lively descriptions of Krishna’s pastimes. When you present the Lord’s activities in a way that is universally understandable for everyone and to avoid any misinterpretation, the effect is relishable, purifying, transformative. Recently, I appreciated this when you relayed the pastime "Uddhava Visits Vrndavan" on Radhasthami in Wellington this year and in your Dham Science podcast, to name only a few.

Next, Vidura states:

"O spotless one, your answers to all these questions will grant immunity from all material miseries. Such charity is greater than all Vedic charities, sacrifices, penances, etc." (Verse 41)

As described in the purport to this verse, no other charitable activities form even the tiniest fraction of immunity from material misery compared to the immunity gained from devotional service. Thank you for your immense preaching effort and for your compassionate personal cultivation, which directly engages so many people in devotional service and saves them from so much misery. Unfortunately, people are so misled, that they laud temporary charitable feats which do nothing to free society from the sources of their suffering. However, the pure, single-focused nature of your outreach service, “due to its universal nature, will deliver all others in all times,” as stated so beautifully in the purport to this verse in reference to Maitreya Muni’s preaching.

This year, I lost my mother and a month later my mother-in-law also passed away. My mother’s suffering made me realise there is almost no end to the suffering the material body can experience. How fortunate I am to have you as my spiritual master, how fortunate are we who have taken shelter of your mercy and compassion, your potent lectures and the chanting of the holy name. You often remind us in your classes of the impact and reality of birth, death, old age and disease and how time in this world affects us all. Thank you for every opportunity you have given me to improve myself. I am eternally grateful for all your personal care. I pray to be more immersed in that precious service to you Gurudeva where time has no ultimate effect.

Your ever-grateful spiritual daughter and aspiring servant,
Manada dd

Dear Davamrita Swami,
PAMHOagtSP&amp;all glories to you On your most auspicious appearance day.
As we know everything in this age is diminishing/But when it comes to you it doesn’t seem like you are slowing down at all at 73 years of age. You are still powering around the world introducing everybody to the divine couple with your expertise in opening up peoples vision &amp; Hope that there is an Alternative. and That. it’s beautiful.
And for us Initiates who have spent two or three decades appreciating and being inspired by your enthusiasm &amp;your determination we Pay homage to you on this very auspicious day.
I feel like my Eternal association with you is through your booming Kirtans your absorption in the kirtana and the way that you can take my mind out of the equation and also get absorbed in the holy names, by going on a journey in the kirtana time stands still and when I get to lie down in my bed, the kirtana on still vibrating through this body of mine. I’m smiling and I can’t appreciate that so much/ It’s like family for me.
Wherever you are in the world today, I know that you’ll be appreciated and all of us back here in the land of the long white cloud we send our love.
Ys Mangal Vaisnava dasa

Dearest Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada and All glories to your most auspicious appearance day

Dearest Guru Maharaj, I was recently reading in Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi Lila, 1.44
The Spiritual Master’s eternal occupation is to expand the service of the lord by training disciples in a service attitude.
Reading it this time, I started to see how much of your painstaking effort goes into training the “attitude”. I am always ready to fight external obstacles because that is all I see, but through your instructions you constantly urge me to see and move past the inner obstacles that seem insurmountable.
For many years I thought that Sadhna Bhakti means to do what Guru Maharaj wants me to do – simple. But this time around, reading the purport I realized how I might be missing the full picture. Through your instructions am starting to see that we have attitudes, not circumstances that block our progress. Maya devi will always through various flavors of obstacles our way that with my current attitudes I can’t move past. In my mind – the door is shut. But you are so expert, it is like you can see the exact attitude, the exact muscle that is blocked and making it hard for me to move. In war, opening a new frontier can be game changing and cause of victory. In the same way, it seems like through your constant instructions you are opening ever new frontiers for inner development in our closed up hearts and expanding room for Krishna’s service.
I want to humbly remember a few of the numerous times over the years that you have somehow extricated me, pushed me to change my attitude by a little “nudge statement”
1. You think you have it hard, read the book Salted Bread
2. Humility means humiliation
3. Chant Hare Krishna before you open your mouth and speak
4. Krishna’s service is endless, one door closes, and many other doors open
5. Vaishnavas don’t demand apology
6. Develop your internal identity, have your inner victory by turning to Krishna
7. Don’t get stuck in the mud, regroup, retool and move forward
Thank you Guru Maharaj, for not giving up on me and helping me see, it’s not obstacles, it’s attitude that can stop us. Thank you for your patience as I can be slow to understand and even slower to change.
On your most auspicious appearance day I humbly pray that I can always remember that I rather be your dog than any other position in this cosmos and help me develop that dog like sincerity and loyalty to you and your service to Srila Prabhupada.
Recently you said, “Carry Krishna in your heart and give Krishna to others”. Please let me always remember and sincerely act on this instruction.
Your humble servant
Mangal-arti dd

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances,

All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude for guidance, protection and wisdom over the years I have been fortunate enough to be in your association. If I had not received the benediction of your mercy, I shudder to think of where my self-determined trajectory in life would have taken me.

Over the course of the past 7 years, your guidance through personal darshans, classes (both in person &amp; online) and brief interactions have nudged me towards a more desirable end goal in my journey. Your words, straightforward &amp; to the point leave me contemplative. Many times your words seem grave but in time by the grace of Krishna I can see profound lessons can be drawn which can illuminate the correct path forward. At a recent devotee programme at the loft you spoke on not placing too much emphasis on our online outreach presence, at the expense of face-to-face cultivation. People today are growing weary of the ‘illusion’ of connectivity presented to them online, thus you implied in words of premonition that we should not forget how powerful in-person cultivation is now &amp; how it will be so also into the future. I found this spoke to me as I was being offered by an opportunity to speak on podcasts hosted by an individual within the community. Your words, although not directed to me specifically but to the group, still allowed me to reflect on how my success with uni preaching has been from applying your words in my life unknowingly. Simply put by connecting with people, being their friends &amp; associating with them in that capacity.

Your stories of how you created the yatra in NZ through going out of your way to meet those early devotees who are now spiritually advanced in their own rights is therefore very inspiring. Such an accomplished personality but still so down to Earth, practical &amp; personable. We look at the yatra now &amp; see the fruits of your humble service 25 years ago with newfound appreciation.

I hope to be able to follow in your footsteps, to serve &amp; to assist you in your mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness in New Zealand for this lifetime. I pray for the clear intelligence to be able to understand your will &amp; the submissive spirit to act accordingly.

I humbly request that I may be able to serve you in the way you desire. I pray to be able to ‘get out of the way’ in enacting your will in this world &amp; the next.

Your servant,

Manobhirama Dasa

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

In your mature age, by now, first of all allow me to wish you good health for your upcoming year, starting with your Vyasa Puja day. It is because good health is so important in your service to mankind.
I wish no disciple misbehaviour had a negative effect on your health.

If you're healthy and ready to travel (rock an' roll), your disciples in Hungary, Ukraine and Bulgaria can meet you in those countries. Many of them wouldn't be able to afford to travel to your GBC-assigned zones; you are going to them to give them your association.

This year you travelled alone to those places. As far as Hungary is concerned I have to say this year could very well become your young Hungarian disciples' most memorable time with you; they (and I) were able to serve you directly, associate with you at every meal time, and way above and beyond. You even appointed Kamaláksa prabhu to be your body guard at a rented Budapest apartment thus he could sleep in the room next to you and have your full association. I was so happy for him. That was so kind of you; you sacrificed your privacy, comfort and space.

You and I had great fun this time that somewhat reminded me my early years with you when you visited Sydney.
Under "fun" I mean that we had to laugh at many situations otherwise we would cry about: this time the adventures of getting you in and out of Ukraine along with another sannyasi, through the land borders, also securing somewhat quality apartments in a border town for you, getting your cook and body guard Kamaláksa prabhu there in a separate "bhoga-car", getting Imi prabhu finish work early and bringing you sannyasis back to Budapest from the border town in his people mover in the stead of the pre-arranged but died transport line from the Ukraine, etc.

In sum it will be hard to beat the awkward situations around this year's Ukraine visit of yours where no air planes from Hungary &amp; Europe flew there, only the road access was possible, with many hours' of waiting time at the borders you had to endure. Auch!

Thank you very much, Gurudeva, for allowing me/us to serve you so intimately this year in Hungary.
I bow down in front of you (and the other sannyasi) for your level of tolerance around the Ukraine venture.
Thank you for letting me serve you in my "free-style". It was meant to give you the best care possible.
Thank you for allowing me to have a deep look into the sannyasi life's challenges as well as logistics and other systems of ISKCON (we didn't or couldn't rely on much at this year's HUN-UKR visit of yours).
Please forgive me for my offences.


Your aspiring servant,
Mantramálá dd.

Namah Om Vishnu padaya Krishna preshthaya bhutale, Srimate Devamrita Swami iti namine. Prachare poorva daksham ca bhakta cara praveenta, prarthtaapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah!!

Hare Krishna dear Gurudev🙏.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Guru parampara!
Kindly accept the deep and humble obeisances at your lotus feet 🙏.

This is just impossible to express the gratitude in words, meaning that no words can explain the depth of the gratitude I am feeling dear gurudev. Moreover, I am a dumb child who doesn't understand the complete depth of care and mercy you provide. I always feel that I am not capable of glorifying even a drop of unlimited spiritual intelligence, compassion, and mercy that my spiritual master possesses. However, dear father, Kindly accept the deep gratitude and glorification according to my limited understanding at your lotus feet.

Your care is inconceivable, dear gurudev. I always realise that our Guru parampara is so beautiful that all gurus in the parampara take this quality from Krishna that He is more pleased when His devotees are respected. Dear father, You have the same quality because in all lectures how much stress you give to expressing respect and gratitude for our guides. How much care and love you have for your disciples gurudev 🙏.


Dear father, I heard in your lecture that pleasing Krishna gives full peace and it's complete when we don't have any motivation( Ahaituky apratihatā). This verse has always attracted me because of these attractive words but when you clarified gurudev it gave me a different level of understanding that our bhakti only can be uninterrupted when it is free of any motivation. It made so much sense to me, dear loving father, and I realised this is the reason for unlimited interruptions in bhakti as my heart is full of motivations and desires. I beg for your mercy, father that let my mind be absorbed in your devotional service always 🙏.


Dear gurudev, by your causeless mercy, on 8 th June this year, I got the opportunity to do the service to transcribe your lectures. The first lecture I got was from 13.12.97. It was ‘Become set conscious’. I first time heard you singing the kirtan ‘nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya..’ It was full of enthusiasam and energy- 17 minutes kirtan. It is your causeless mercy dear gurudev, that I heard this lecture more than a hundred times becoz of an old recording😀 .
But gurudev, this helped me to absorb very beautiful points you mentioned in the lecture. The most important instruction that touched me and I try to remember is “Yes, all services are equal, but somehow or other, this service( book distribution) has a particular charm- transcendental charm to it for attracting the attention of Krishna”, and “These books have the potency to bring about a complete change because they cover everything”. Dear gurudev, I beg you for the mercy that somehow I can continue the service and also assist you in the sankirtan mission in the future, and this service becomes life and soul for me 🙏.

Dear gurudev, serving prasadam in person is next to this world. I am always nervous to cook for you gurudev thinking to myself that if gurudev does not like this and if he does not eat well then he will feel hungry. This year on April 9th when I cooked lunch for you, and you said loudly “dessert is the best", it gave me great joy but then I thought probably gurudev did not like the main meal so out of mercy he mentioned only dessert is ok. These short but sweet memories are always locked as the most important treasure in my heart. I always want to know gurudev about your taste so that I can cook accordingly and serve you better. I try to ask the disciples about your taste but I realised you love the devotion which is the most important ingredient you like, and I know I lack in this ingredient dear father 😟 . Kindly bestow your mercy Gurudev that this soul always thinks about different ways to serve you 🙏.


Dear Gurudev, you had instructed us in December 2021 to go to Sridhaam. We could make it in December 2023 though. It was impossible for this complete dirt to realise the joy and mercy every time in SriDhaam gurudev without your causeless mercy. I am not able to find the right words to express it. I had visited Sridham for the first time with my two boys before you visited there in Jan 2024. Dear father, our shiksha guru Gopipremamrita mataji guided me to send you an email to receive your blessings before visiting Dham. That was immensely impactful. I want to share my beautiful realisations here and express the deep gratitude at your lotus feet. I was wondering if I should carry my deities there for a week over my stay there or not because there is The Lord Himself. Then I took my Gurudev’s picture with me to beg for mercy every time before I visited the temple for aartis and darshan and tours to visit many pastime places.


Dear gurudev, I realised that I am not even at zero level at the moment in devotional service but due to your causeless mercy I could feel such beautiful realisations in the temple hall. I was feeling blessed when each spiritual desire came true with abundance. First morning, when I was in temple hall waiting for Mangla Arti then I was looking at devotees offering beautiful flowers to Srila Prabhupada, and I was thinking I wish I could offer the flowers to Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet too but was hesitant to ask anyone for that. I was waiting in front of Sri Radha Madhava altar for Mangla aarti. Then one senior devotee asked me to follow him to a room behind the altar where two matajis were making anklets and garlands for Sri Radha Madhava. That was too much for a dirty soul like me, dear father, then matais were talking in Bengali and asking if I knew how to make those ornaments.

I was nervous, and they understood my situation. Then Prabhuji said "OK you take these two flowers and offer them to Srilaprabhupada' s lotus feet". I said to myself '""Jai RadhaMadhav!""You listened to my wish'. And the series continued dear Gurudev for five days with beautiful realisations that were never possible with a contaminated heart without the causeless mercy of my dear gurudev. This place is mystical and magical but only when someone has seen the place through the eyes of a pure vaishnava. Otherwise I never deserve to get mercy. I felt I was attracted to SriRadhaMadhav and Panchtattva. I miss them whenever I see them in darshan, and look forward to seeing them again and again. Dear Gurudev, your causeless mercy showered the bliss of all beautiful moments there🙏. .


Most of all, the devotee association which I received by your mercy dear father, was beyond this world. So much love and care they have in their heart. By your mercy I could see our god sister HG Lohavan mataji. We had quite a good time with each other. We did not feel for a moment that we were seeing each other for the first time. incredible. I miss her association immensely, and it was extremely painful to depart her and SriDham on that morning on 19th December. Thank you so much, dear Gurudev, for your causeless mercy and blessings that relish the most beautiful and precious jewels of devotional service. Otherwise I never deserved this all because I know how much dirt I carry in my heart gurudev.
Gurudev, I imagine I am always in the very voracious ocean but always having shelter of your life boat dear Gurudev 🙏.

I realise at certain times that the grip of Maya can be easily loosened by mercy of gurudev.This is only my non seriousness that I am always in her grip. Dear father, ⁠most of the time I am absorbed in my own desires and do the service parallely but when suddenly I get slapped by your lectures then I start feeling guilty and focus on the attentive hearing the sound vibration deeply Gurudev. But dear gurudev, You are patita-pāvana, always ready to give shelter. How merciful my spiritual father is and how stubborn I am, guruden. I beg you gurudev, plz never let me go to fulfil my desires 🙏.

⁠I was walking down the street in the morning and was thinking about life before you accepted this living being full of dirt at your lotus feet and gave shelter. My real goals were to get appreciation from everyone subtly, and that was the real cause of misery for me. I never realised this fact though. I would feel that I am so humble. But your causeless mercy gurudev is making me realise how much dirt is there , and serving you and guru parampara is the solution to every biggest problem of my spiritual life. How can I even think of repaying even a drop of the gratitude I am feeling for this process. Just want to say thank you gurudev from the deepest layer of my heart that you gave the right path to this totally dependent daughter. Honestly, I never feel deserving to be called your daughter but as Srilaprabhupada once said, mercy of gurudev is much much bigger than your biggest sins. Thank you so much gurudev for accepting 🙏.

⁠
Gurudev you always mention that Srilaprabhupada’s statements are simple yet so profound. Similarly gurudev, the points you mention are so profound and these are so deep therefore penetrate to the deepest core of the heart. By absorbing and meditating on these points deeply is the source of all solace.. and that solace is a different level which I never feel anywhere. Gurudev, I love the way you make a statement from the scripture in a lecture, for example in a lecture that I heard recently . You said “material happiness is a pain in your neck" then you would also comment jokingly what audiences would think on this point in their mind . That is your causeless compassion and spiritual unlimited intelligence to handle all kinds of people and help them understand the absolute truth and how to achieve that beginning at their current level. That’s amazing.


Then I started thinking about the instructions I heard from you gurudev. Your a few instructions which I have been trying to focus on and absorb now a days are
1.Begging for the liking service which I am being given.
2.Begging for empowerment with intelligence so we have good relationships with devotees.
3.Focus on the real goals makes us handle small stuff very easily.
4.Expressing gratitude to the devotees for whatever small thing they had done in the past which helped you in any way. Don’t let them forget .
5. Different levels of dealing with people and preaching to them is based upon the level of compassion we have for them. As compassion increases with maturity, we are able to handle different kinds of people easily.

I have realised gurudev that having desire and trying to follow your instructions is the source of all solace in the heart, what to speak of following them rigidly. I beg you dear father that this realisation never fades away from my heart 🙏.

I remember on this Janmashtami one night before I was disturbed due to my mind. I begged you and Krishna for enthusiasm for Janamshtami. Then I started reading 'Krishna' book when cowherd boys were discussing the killing of Aghasura like it happened recently. Then I slept with my heart wishing for the enthusiasm which I was not feeling. Dear Gurudev, I saw you in my dream. I served my spiritual father prasadam three times. Two times I cooked . I was cooking chapatis and subzis. Third time, one mataji was cooking lunch for you.

By serving you gurudev, I got complete solace. I always wish that my spiritual master would chastise me if I make any mistake. So in the dream Gurudev, you were telling me ( I don't remember clearly)that I did not cook that nice so and so. Also Gurudev, I felt enthusiastic for celebrating Janmashtami, cooking bhoga and family kirtan in the evening after waking up. How this enthusiasm appeared in my heart suddenly that could never be possible without your causeless mercy dear father. I remember clearly before initiation, I had received you in my dream and this dream gave me complete peace on exactly the same level. So these realisations make me strongly convinced that you and Krishna are a team and serving the spiritual master is the true solution of all the problems 🙏.

It was a Srila Prabhupada's lecture where he said “we should take our spiritual master’s instructions so rigidly without caring for our personal benefit or loss”. Dear gurudev, your devotion and commitment to fulfil the desire of your guru maharaj is unlimitedly attracted to my heart 🙏.

I remember once HH Bhakti Charu Swami maharaj said to the audience” you can’t understand what Srila prabhupada did for the world until you come to the same age” similarly gurudev we cannot understand what you are doing for the world we are overwhelmed just once a year or even less when we pack up luggage when we need to travel, but I see you travelling all over the world after every one month or two in this age. you are just pleasing Krishna and your guru maharaj 🙏.

That’s so overwhelming for us gurudev. You are unlimitedly determined to serve Srila Prabhupada's orders. Your love for Srilal Prabhupada is inconceivable. You never care for your ailments more than the service. I beg you gurudev for a tiny drop of this devotion for following my gurudev’s instructions 🙏.
Kindly bless me Gurudev that my desire to serve you eternally never fades away. As I have realised millions of times that Gauranga never ignores the spiritual desires 🙏.

I pray to lord Narsimha for your good health so that you keep enlightening all conditioned souls and empty this material pool. I pray to Srimati Radharani so that one day I can cook food of gurudev’s favourite taste and gurudev feels satiated 🙏.

This year Gurudev you fulfilled the spiritual desire of your disciples and your mercy is overflowing.This thought of having you personally in Sydney on your most auspicious occasion of vyasa puja is giving goosebumps to all of us. Thank you so much dear gurudev🙏.


Totally dependent on your mercy
Your aspiring servant and daughter,
Merudevi Devidasi

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 wonderful celebration of your vyasa puja!

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja

You are always teaching us to take advantage of service opportunities when they come. Both through your shining example and your personal guidance. And we should seek out the opportunity for service if it does not seem to come on its own accord. Obviously we have our everyday service to you, like chanting our rounds. But getting to do special and personal service to you is always something we long for. How rare it is to have a qualified spiritual teacher, what to speak of getting the opportunity to serve him.

That's why I am still so frustrated about missing an opportunity on your recent trip to Wellington.

You were at Bhakti Lounge, giving yet another amazing class. But you had left your glasses back at your accommodation. And despite you saying this point several times I still missed the opportunity of serving you by running back and getting them. I am sorry for drowning in illusion and not jumping at this chance to do something for you. What a disaster!!

Thank you for being so kind, concerned and loving to Sruti-cari right now. She is very sick and it's so hard for her right now. Even people who see her regularly don't really understand the challenges she is facing every day, even just to do the simple tasks of life like getting up, eating and chanting her rounds. But you are so caring and understanding and accepting of her struggles. And not putting a burden of expectations upon her, which makes it possible for her to live day by day. Thank you Guru Maharaja. Thank you so much.

And I am trying to help her also. I am not actually as bad as some people might say I am.

Thank you for the chance to do some service. Hopefully I don't miss the unsort opportunities and that I will do something for you in the future.

Your servant, disciple and spiritual son

Muni-cari dasa.

HH Devamrita Maharaja Ki…

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you on this most auspicious occasion of your transcendental appearance.

As Kali Yuga denizens suffer brutally in the ambitious struggle to master the modes, association of exalted devotees as yourself is extremely rare and is the only hope for real auspiciousness.

As a magnanimous transcendental professor, you relentlessly take on the hard task of presenting bhakti to those who are happily sleeping in the lap of Maya, considering her kicks and whips to be the sweet price of pleasure.

With sharp and purified intelligence, through your classes and writings, you administer the bhakti medicine to those who think themselves perfectly sane and healthy -- from intellectuals and academics down to the layman.

Your words are loaded with the potency to sink deep into the heart and awaken our spiritual consciousness and original understanding of Krishna. Your systematic presentation of the Absolute Truth and its categories successively shatters the building blocks of atheistic concoctions that form the foundations of materialistic life.

Thus, people begin to contemplate their existential situation, slacken their hold on most cherished Kali yuga ideologies, and enter the Bhakti lab.

You seek to engage everyone and raise everyone’s service attitude. You exemplify this service attitude yourself, for you would without a blink trade a position in the spiritual world to assist the Guru Parampara in their preaching work in the material world. Of course, a stalwart devotee as yourself, always lives in the spiritual world. Indeed, you are a walking pilgrimage and you carry Vrindavan in your heart, so magnanimously granting this highest benediction to others.

You care as an attentive parent, and without such nurturing, it is impossible for anyone to come up to the transcendental platform. By your mercy, as the mysteries of devotional service are revealed, they develop our attachment for Krishna and detach us from the frugal and fake happiness of the material world. Thus, as bonafide guru, you are personally representing the shelter-giving form and the functioning form of the personality of Godhead.

As a genuine expression of Vaisanva humility, you consider yourself as the most lowly servant of Krishna, but your exalted qualities are described in the sastras as the ornaments of Paramahamsas.

Your loving, merciful glance relieves the heart of all anxiety and inspires us in devotional service.

Your heartfelt and joyful expression of gratitude and humility is very endearing and gives us a glimpse into the dynamics of the spiritual world and surcharges our bhakti aspirations.

Your gravity inspires us to be serious in our sadhana and seva, keep our mental concoctions aside, and to serve in accordance with the guidance and for the pleasure of guru parampara.

You completely depend on Krishna, your eagerness to serve Guru and Gauranga is ever fresh and increasing and you accept all sorts of difficulties to further your service. By your austerities, you invoke the mercy of the Guru Parampara, which you freely distribute. These are but a few of jewels from the mine of lustrous qualities that ornament your transcendental personality.

How can I understand glories of devotees as yourself? My attempt is like shining a torch at the sun. You have replaced the knife of self-destruction in my hand with the jewel of devotional service and association of devotees. My misfortune is that I cannot fathom the value of your benediction. You are carefully and patiently dealing with this impudent two-legged animal, to elevate me to the standard of human life and to devotional life.

Dear Guru Maharaj, I am begging for your mercy. My heart is like a bad program file, corrupt with impersonalism and fruitive mentality. Although, as a rogue, I am greatly unqualified and have no standing, nonetheless, unashamedly, I am begging you to please engage me completely in your service and awaken in my heart attachment to your instructions and detachment from material enjoyment.

Your aspiring servant,
Munjaranya dd.

Dearest Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I offer glories to you, with my tiny limited hands and lips, on the anniversary of your appearance. It is by your compassionate love that I am empowered to uncover my real self! So, thank you!

Recently I traveled on a passenger jet for the first time since practicing Bhakti in this lifetime. Boy, was it jarring! To become conscious in a jet-fueled world of two-legged cats &amp; dogs is not so easy. Only the salve of Love can sooth a tiny jiva in such a tempest of sharp objects. You, my dear master, are expert in this art of Love.

Humanity has been lost, and you, along with your teammates, are trying to resuscitate. Mahaprabhu is very pleased when we cultivate and exhibit Vaishnava qualities (CC Antya 4.129-130). Can you please teach a two-legged dog new tricks? Boy is it tough to even desire to practice an unprecedented bar of ultra-human etiquette. Honestly, for me, such things have been of little consideration. For this I apologize. The truth is that my heart has been DYING for intimate association (CC Antya 12.60).

Our dear Lord Krishna exhibits the most brilliant top-shelf human-like qualities. “Good behavior, mildness and magnanimity are found only in Kṛṣṇa. Only Kṛṣṇa performs welfare activities for the whole world” (CC Madhya 21.121). We humbly request you to empower us to become human, and teach the world how to follow suit.

Sincerely yours,
Nagaraja Nitai das

Dear Gurudeva
Please, accept my humble obeisances .
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Al glories to you on this auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja.

Let me express my boundless gratitude to you for the love, kindness , compassion
and wisdom that flows like an endless river from your heart .From the first time I saw you, every time I see you, every time I hear your voice, I feel joy and I see streams of golden sunlight with diamond sparks, and I hear Hare Krishna mantra.
Even when I listen to your classes,I understand, that I receive the main fundamental knowledge and I must be serious and attentive, a feeling of inexpressible happiness overwhelms me.By the boundless mercy of Lord Krishna I can hear you and see you from almost anywhere in the world. This is a priceless gift.


Dear Gurudeva I will continue to follow your instructions and I will take every opportunity to serve Lord Krishna, to serve you , to serve devotees .


Your spiritual daughter Nanda gehini devi dasi

Hare Krishna dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet.

Srila Prabhupada stated in a lecture in Vrndavana, August 1974, that the business of the disciple is to glorify the spiritual master. And by so doing, the disciple automatically glorifies Krishna.

Dearest Gurudeva, im perplexed by your ability and capacity to reconnect thousands of lost souls to Krishna. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, all of us are completely dependant on you…This lifelong endeavor and vow that you have taken, is truly magnanimous, exhibiting to all of your disciples, your compassion and mercy in the most extraordinary way.

You are an ideal leader, someone who teaches and preaches by example. You are able to inspire thousands of devotees to become leaders in their own right, to assist you in Lord Chaitanya's Sankirtan mission. Meanwhile your expertise in encouraging and motivating your disciples to take these positions is a truly admirable gift.

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
“Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.”

I feel so fortunate to have your shelter Gurudeva. Speaking of shelter, this year I have tried to make a more conscious effort to listen to your lectures hoping this may keep me above the clouds of maya. This honestly has made me feel more connected to you.

I've been reflecting on your lectures…You have a special gift that can dispel a condtioned souls mind in just moments and appropriately hint at the potency of Krishna Consciousness. More particularly, you allow your disciples entrance into the intimate &amp; intricate details of Srimad Bhagavatam, mercifully explaining the hidden meanings behind Srila Prabhupada’s purports. You have an extraordinary way of clearing away the cobwebs of misconception that may appear in the mind of a conditioned soul, like myself.

Finally, I pray to take on more service, take my sadhana more seriously &amp; enthusiastically so that I can feel closer to you. I have heard that by following your instructions, I can please you. You gave Mandraghosh prabhu and myself this instruction at the Recharge Festival last year: “Make Krishna the centre of your lives”. I have been meditating on how to achieve this, unfortunately I am at the beginner stage, but I hope by doing the basics, I can slowly build up my spiritual strength and strive to increase my Krishna Conscious goals.

I would like to offer my gratitude to you for giving me the opportunity to practice Bhakti in the Wellington Community, amongst such sincere, dedicated devotees. I believe by staying in their association, I can successfully take shelter of you.

Praying to glorify you according to your position as my spiritual master and take shelter at your lotus feet.

Your aspiring servant &amp; disciple,
Nanda-Patni devi dasi

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

Dearest Gurudeva,
Please accept my humblest of obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to you on your auspicious Vyasa Puja!

This year a big meditation for me has been on Krishna’s kindness. I found myself forgetting just how kind and loving Krishna can be to his devotees and the multitude of ways he chooses to do so. Through the peaks and troughs of the past couple of years, Krishna has shown his loving kindness to me through your consistent, profound and motivating encouragement. Whether it would be a minute of your time or an hour, whatever you said was said, I held it very close to my heart only to find out that those words would resonate deeply within me and give me the spiritual drive needed to plough in the face of adversity. This reflection confirmed again to me why I chose to take your shelter, you hear my heart and you speak to it directly, your encouragement gives my heart hope that it will one day have the chance to experience Krsna prema, and your instructions are like a solid anchor keeping me on the straight and narrow.

Around 5 years ago during a Bhagavatam class in Wales you shared that someone had asked you what you pray for. You humbly replied, “To always be able to swim in the ocean of association of devotees.” This prayer of yours always stuck with me very deeply and has helped me reflect on the rarity of Vaishnava sanga in this life, especially when we need it the most. Again I reflected on you and how time and time again you have kindly and most mercifully allowed me to have your sanga just when I needed it most as if it was one spiritually engineered plan and delivered exactly what I needed to hear even though I may not have realized it then.

Another instance of where your supercharged words have constantly been imprinted in me was early this year during an initiation class you gave in London. You mentioned people sometimes ask how is it possible to fit 16 rounds a day, how do you find the time? To which you replied along the lines of, “They do not understand that Krsna IS time, Kalo ‘smi, if you give Krsna time he will give you time…”. Again this came at a time where I was getting caught up in material decisions and pursuits and needed that anchor of a statement to fix myself in trusting Krsna with deep faith, understanding that Krsna is kind beyond our dreams and has boundless love to show us; I just have to get out of the way and let the mercy flow.

Thank you Gurudeva for always hearing my heart and speaking to my heart. Thank you for constantly reminding me through your example never to underestimate the infinite love Krsna has to give and the magnitude of his kindness. Thank you for lovingly pushing me along the path to keep me moving forward with your heartfelt encouraging words. Thank you for your gravity to keep me grounded and go deep.

There’s still so much I want to do in this bhakti mission for you Gurudeva, I don’t know what is to come or what Krsna has in store, but I do know I want to take my last breath knowing I tried everything I could to give this life as an offering to you. Words are easy to write, but this is one way I can express my hearts devotional sentiments and gratitude to you. I pray that my actions for the rest of this life can be the next way.

Your servant forever,
Narasimha Nama das

nama oṁ viṣnu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale
srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine

pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ


Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to you, my beloved spiritual master.

I am profoundly grateful, Gurudev, for your acceptance of me in your service and in the service of Srila Prabhupada. Since you accepted me into your shelter, I have felt your mercy flowing like the sacred river Ganga. Just as the Ganga touches the feet of Lord Krishna and flow towards mother earth to purify and liberate suffering souls, your mercy uplifts fallen souls like me through your divine guidance.

This year, your mercy manifested in the beautiful moment of my initiation ceremony, where I received my initiation beads from your lotus hands and was bestowed with my spiritual name, ‘Nav-tarunya dd,’ which reflects the ever-fresh nature of Shrimati Radharani. On that sacred day, you expressed to everyone that I had the loving support of my husband and children on this spiritual path, and they are pride in me. Dear Gurudev, I recognize my unworthiness, yet you mercifully uplifted me and encouraged me. Your kind gesture was just like an encouraging parent would cheer their child when taking their first steps, you have instilled in me the hope that I, too, will be able to serve you and Srila Prabhupada. Your mercy has not only been evident in external ways but also within me, nurturing my heart through the Holy Name and the hope that I may one day chant without offense.

Thank you, Gurudev, for your kind, generous, and loving exchanges with me and my family. We are truly fortunate to have your darshan and to cherish the moments spent in your service. I am deeply appreciative of your shelter over us, and we eagerly await the opportunity to serve you and receive your darshan next month in Canberra.

With heartfelt gratitude and prayers,

Your aspiring servant,

Nava – tarunya dd

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and to you on this auspicious day of your appearance.

How can I glorify you if I know you so little? The activities of a pure devotee are incomprehensible to the mundane vision.

I really don't know much of what you are doing or even of what I am doing. I'm mainly doing what you tell me to do on good faith.

Somehow or other the fog that clouds my consciousness slowly starts to dissipate. Something must be working. I'm amazed that I'm still here and that I'm giving so much energy to devotional service. It's not that I'm very much devoted or inspired but you made this process easy enough for me to stick around. In fact, it's so easy that staying in Krishna consciousness is easier than going into Maya.

A small fraction of the reality of material nature got revealed to me when I went to visit my biological family in Germany 2 years ago. At that time it's been over 4 years that I've seen them last (the last time I saw them before that was just when I started practicing Krishna consciousness). I was looking forward to the trip, not just to see my family but also to see old friends, to walk down known roads, experience the freedom I used to have when I had nothing to do and no responsibilities to take care of. I was hoping to re-experience a glimpse of the life I used to call mine. Reality hit me soon enough. It didn't take long, 1-2 days max. to get sick of my family. They are nice and caring people but what is there to talk about, what is there to do? I caught up with a few old friends just to realize that our friendship is over, never to be revived again. I visited the hot spots where my social life used to bubble and expand just to understand that I don't know anyone there anymore.

It took me exactly one week since leaving devotee association in New Zealand to collapse on the floor of my childhood room crying and begging Krishna to get me out of this. I had a few more social obligations to fulfill in the next days before I could escape to Simhachalam, the temple where I used to spend 3 months at the beginning of my Bhakti journey. Seeing Lord Nrsimhadeva and the devotees there was the most amazing experience after 1.5 weeks of deprivation from devotee association. Even though there also, many things have changed since I last visited, devotees moved away and others joined, there was no substantial difference because everyone was engaged in devotional service. I felt at home.

This trip to Germany was rather sobering. Even though I knew, I didn't realise until that point that everything I used to have or thought I had has perished in the course of only 4 years. Now what is left? Even in New Zealand I don't have any family or friends outside the devotee community. No job or career, no reason at all really to be on this lonely island at the end of the world.

But I'm here because this is your base. Because here I get to associate with and take guidance of you and your disciples. Because here I get to see you often. Because here is where I can get the best training in Krishna Consciousness. Because here is where you want me to be.

Gurudeva, I have so far to go. I barely scratched the surface of spiritual life. I have so much more to learn, so much more to grow. Please bless me with the determination to keep going. I know if I stick around it's just a matter of time until everything gets revealed to me. Please bless me that I can help myself and help others as well. I don't want to be selfish anymore and just think about how to save myself. Please let me develop some of your compassion and far sight so I may become inspired to act for the benefit of others.

Thank you for taking care of all of us.

Your aspiring servant,

Nava-gauri dd

Nama Om Vishnu padaya
Kṛṣṇa-presthaya Bhutale
Srimate Devamrta Swami
Iti namine

Pracare purva-daksyam ca
Bhaktacara-pravinata
Pararthatapi karunyam
Yasya sarve ca te namah

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to Your Lotus Feet.
All glories to you on this auspicious Vyasa-puja day.


Dear Gurudev,

Thank you for your unyielding efforts in preaching throughout the world. In spite of all difficulty your indomitable will in pursuit of spreading the holy name is truly galvanising. Your preaching endeavours have truly inspired me and my family to serve the lord and his devotees better.

Thank you for everything that you do for us and all the love and mercy you shower us with.

Navadvipa Vasi Das &amp; Family

nama om vishnu-padaya
krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
shrimate Devamrita Swami Maharaj
iti namine

nama om vishnu-padaya
krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin
iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve
gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-
Pashcatya-desha-tarine

Dear Devamrita Maharaj,
Please accept my respectful obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you!!!!!

With deep gratitude, I truly appreciate you keeping an eye out for me, encouraging me, guiding me and keeping me under your well-wishing shelter. Despite all my shortcomings and offences you have truly shown me what causeless mercy is.

I used to think ‘oh my God, I have to take instructions from two great personalities, what if I can't do it’. But as time went on it recently dawned upon me that the instructions that came from you and HH Janananda Maharaj were in harmonious synchrony and of course was of great benefit and protection for me. And of course through the mercy of devotees and from both of you what I lack somewhat gets made up for.

Through many of your disciples I have had inspiration and encouragement in many ways, as they take after your empowering mood of being engaged in service and inspiring others to do so.

On this most auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja, I pray that I can follow the instructions that you set out for me with full vigour and please you so that we can have another thank you argument :)

Thank you so much for everything you have done for me

Aspiring to serve you attentively,
Nikunja Vasini Devi Dasi

Hare Krishna Maharaj
All Glories to Srila Prabhupad

Dear Guru Dev

I offer my obeisances to your Holiness Lotus feet.
On this auspicious day, I sincerely thank you for bestowing your unconditional love and mercy upon me. Your holiness rescued this conditioned soul, and gave me the right direction to Krishna Consciousness.

I pray Sri Sri Radha Govind Ji for your good health and spirit so as to enable your Holiness to continue Srila Prabhupad's legacy.

Wishing your holiness a wonderful Krishna day.

Your humble servant
Nilachala Chandra Das
Honolulu

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 obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Happy Vyasapuja Gurudeva! Though I'm not qualified and unable to find the right words to glorify you, I'm still taking the opportunity to glorify you with my very limited abilities for my own purification.

On this auspicious day of Vyasa Puja so blessed,
I offer my obeisances in gratefulness.
O Gurudeva, you’re so compassionate and wise,
Your wisdom and knowledge dispel the darkest skies.

O, my spiritual father, your heart is so pure,
Your mercy and blessings are the sacred cure.
That guides us out of this material snare,
And places us in Krishna’s care.

You set ablaze the Bhakti’s fire,
Awakening the fallen soul’s desire.
To serve the Lord in endless grace,
And forever shine in His embrace.

With each breath, your grace we feel,
Your presence makes our spirits heal.
O guiding light, in you we confide,
Your merciful glance washes away our pride.

As Bhagavad Gita’s knowledge guides the soul,
You’re leading us toward the final goal.
To serve Sri Krishna, with love sincere,
In you, His presence is so clear.

Your teachings are like the rising sun,
Awakening us and our fears undone.
With every step, you lead us with care,
Clearing all our doubts that linger there.

With every teaching, you’ve purified my soul,
And made Bhakti my highest goal.
With deepest gratitude, I praise your grace,
For granting me this rightful place.

May I walk the path you pave,
And follow the instructions that you gave.
Through life’s great battles and every test,
I promise I’ll follow you and give my best.

Please keep showering your love and mercy upon me and my family.
Hare Krishna!

Your daughter,
Nisha Abrol

Dear Gurudeva, please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to you on this most auspicious day!

It is my great joy to be in your presence, who are the Lord’s pure devotee.

You are absorbed in thoughts of Krishna at every step.
You command respect, and my heart aches at my inability to offer adequate praise.

Passionate streaks of selfishness overshadow my attempts in caring for others.
It is your kindness to allow me this chance to work on this tendency, by caring for you.

You graciously tolerate my timid attempts at fulfilling your needs.

I pray to develop more depth in understanding this relationship with you, Gurudeva, and appreciate my good fortune to have you as my spiritual father and guide.

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(CC. Madya 19.151)
_
You are proficient in transforming hearts through your sublime speech.
Around the time I first heard your words, when here at GEV in 2017, I was a long-haired yogi boasting a shirt with a graphic of Śaivite three line tilak.

Needless to say, you had some word in which course I should take next. Your presence left a deep impact on me.

Now, by your infinite grace, I am able to meet you here again.

Giving me this opportunity is your extraordinary kindness upon this insignificant soul.

Serving you with care and sincerity is my prayer.
I desire to have a genuine service attitude, the remedy for absent-mindedness, indifference, and offensive chanting.
Through this service, transcendental knowledge becomes manifest.

yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
(ŚU. 6.23)

Please help me Gurudeva!

Is my heart crying out enough for your mercy?
Is my heart’s attention focussed strictly enough on your service?

I beg for protection from offences.
I dedicate my body, words, and mind.
Where else would I find fulfilment?
Your association is the essence of my spiritual life.

_
Gurudeva, you inspire greatness with your shining example.

Your presence makes me chant the holy names of Krishna!

I pray to always recognise how my connection with your instructions sustains my outreach efforts.

All my strength lies in you and your guidance.

In my hope to be of any use in connecting individuals in Auckland to Krishna, in distributing stacks and sets of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s transcendental books, I fervently pray for your help.

Getting a glimpse in what you tolerate in order to give Krishna to others, I am awestruck and beg to offer my prostrated obeisances at your feet.

_
As a truly compassionate caretaker, you built and empowered the community that has given me heart and a sense of belonging.
Heart to learn the art of dealing respectfully, and to take good advice.
Belonging by engaging me in krishna-seva-yajña, showing me how to best utilise my energy for Krishna.

Your mentorship system has helped me tremendously!
Instead of being independent, I plan to approach senior devotees for help.

I pray to be simple at heart, and hear instructions, especially in your presence.

I pray to develop even a fraction of your grasp of principles and relish of sweetness, with an unsatiated appetite for more.

_
Gurudeva!
You sustain our vibrant Krishna family by emphasising deep, trusting relationships.

As an effect of your delivering the Bhakti-siddhānta in your enlivening talks, the nectar of hearing and chanting naturally flows among us as our hearts become purified.

When we take shelter of this process, we see you smile in approval, as universal bhakti connectivity triumphs and enables countless devotees to rise above fate.

These personal success stories of taking more shelter of Krishna by your help will stay with us and propel us forward in our spiritual life, through thick or thin.

Seeing how you orchestrate such miracles impels me to reach out to others.

Thank you for encouraging me to go deeper.

Please empower me to be steadfast in bhakti, dedicated to teaching the bhakti-science, and daring to care more.

I pray for courage and sincerity in following in your footsteps and trusting in the personal conclusion of it all.
Thank you for your trust in me.

_
You have your finger on the pulse of the shifting times.

You understand the root cause of suffering in this world.

By keeping my mind focused on your words expounding on its cure, I feel my search for spiritual answers to the world’s problems satisfies.

I pray to align my efforts in contributing to the wellbeing of others with your powerful preaching mood in service to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

You act decisively against bogus philosophies.

Relieving you from the anguish you feel when seeing others suffer in ignorance is my motivation to perform sankirtana with enthusiasm.

I pray to you, so that I may develop more devotional substance, as well as the ability to distinguish reality from illusion for the welfare of all.

Please grant me access to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books by engaging me in their service.

Your aspiring servant,
Nitāi-jīvana dāsa

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your lotus feet.

On this most auspicious day of your Vyasa-puja, I wish to express my deep heart-felt gratitude to you for taking the risk to accept me as your disciple.

Last night, I had a dream that you asked me to give a class on Chapter 7 – Knowledge of the Absolute from Bhagavad Gita As It Is by your spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It was a fair request of one of your followers for over 17 years.

In the dream, I could not do it. I just stood there and drew a blank, although I desperately wanted to please you. I could see in that moment I was just a hollow shell of a devotee, and I was not able to serve you. This dream was deeply disturbing and this year on your Vyasa-puja I vow that I will become more than just a skin-deep sentimental devotee. I know that you expected more of me and have always been there to encourage me to go deeper in my Krishna Consciousness, for this I am forever grateful. This was a simple test and I failed. I have fallen so short of the mark, and I am so sorry that I have not been able to repay you even in a small way with what you deserve.

I am so fortunate to have your living example of how you so selflessly serve in Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. I feel deeply ashamed that I have taken more than I have given for so long. You are an inspiration to me Srila Gurudeva with your sharp intellect, deep and seemingly endless compassion and dynamic global preaching style. I pray for some spiritual strengthen and intelligence so that I can again start to reciprocate with what you have so generously, patiently and lovingly given to me.

Your spiritual daughter and eternally indebted servant,
Nitya-priya devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

It is said that the primary duty of a king is to protect his subjects, ensuring they perform their duties with the proper attitude. Through this, they engage in yugadharma and receive all good fortune by the mercy of Mahaprabhu. Without the protection of the king, citizens fall into adharma, missing the unique opportunities of human life.

Just like the noble Aryan kings of the past, you, Gurudeva, engage us—your followers—in our ultimate duty: pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You guide us on this path, lifting us when we fall and giving us the strength to continue. You generously share your experiences and realizations, a most precious gift. As Srimad Bhagavatam 4.21.20 states:

"Mahārāja Pṛthu’s speech was beautiful, full of metaphorical language, clearly understandable, and pleasing to hear. His words were grave and certain. It appears that when he spoke, he expressed his personal realization of the Absolute Truth to benefit all present."

Similarly, you protect us by sharing your wisdom and leading by personal example. You appreciate the devotees and teach us to do the same. You relish Krishna's pastimes and guide us in savoring them. Your deep taste for chanting the holy name encourages us to chant with attention and sincerity—all for our benefit. In this way, you are truly our greatest well-wisher and dearest friend.

I am eternally grateful to you for coming to Bulgaria to deliver me from a hellish existence. You arrived in 1978, when I was only five years old. The seeds you planted have flourished, and now, by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and his dedicated followers, we have a vibrant Krishna conscious community.

Thank you for everything, dear Gurudeva. We are blessed to have you as our teacher and protector. Please continue to guide and protect us by sharing your realizations and your love for Krishna.
All glories to Srila Gurudeva!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his followers!

Your servant,
Pandava Bandhava Das

Dear Gurumaharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glory to Srila Prabhupada and to you.

Every year my appreciation grows for your personality. I see around many complexities and degradation — it is so easy to criticise, find faults, and to fight or disengage all together. Spiritual bypassing is not the way — you explained to us one year and you exemplify it yourself. You are staying strong in this hurricane of adversities, keep traveling and give shelter to everyone you meet. Your ability to be stable shows your unparalleled humility and tolerance — precious qualities glorified in the Shikshastakam prayer and so much desired by me.

Every year you write offerings for your spiritual master that are full of humility and adoration. It is humbling to see how much appreciation, respect, and gratitude you hold towards Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for giving me inexhaustible source of aspirations.

You “can think of nothing better to do in life” than talking about Krishna (Gita Nagari, 2024). This year there are 56 recorded public lectures — it is a very generous gift from you and probably only a small fraction of Krishna katha you have narrated. You make your talks profound and meaningful so the impact is huge.

I am very grateful to be accepted as your disciple. I am very eager to learn from you. I pray for the mercy to stay on the right path and somehow or other please you. There is no other goal in life, no other measure of success.

You aspiring servant,
Parā-dharma devi dasi.

namo om vishna padaya krishna presthaya bhutale

srimati devamrita swami iti namine

prachare purva daksam cha bhakta chara pravinata

paratatapi karunya yasya sarve car te namaha

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my utmost humble obeisances unto your lotus feet.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance.

As I contemplate your glories, I feel speechless due to my blindness. Despite that, I still attempt to write something with the desire to please you and Srila Prabhupada.

Gurudeva, you are truly an exalted Vaisnava, a representative of Krishna. You often said, “From no where I came,” and indeed, it is only by Gauranga’s mercy that I am here, under the associations of your dear devotees, and being able to render some humble service to you.

You have granted us the most precious gift, the holy name of Krishna. The Hare Krishna mantra—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare— is the most powerful weapon to destroy this material existence, the most powerful weapon, that distributes love of Godhead everywhere, even to those who do not deserve it. Without you, as the representative of the Supersoul, where would I be now?

Whenever you personally came to Gita Nagari, I was always amazed by how lovingly united our spiritual family became. I contemplated that to be due to your pure devotion. In your physical association, everyone becomes more Krishna conscious, more loving, more united, more devotional. I keep pondering what it would be like when you are no longer present on this Earth planet. I feel the urgency to engage in devotional service more seriously. Perhaps one day, by your empowerment, the words I speak will carry the weight and realizations that yours do. Perhaps one day, others will be benefited and become more Krishna conscious as I become more truly myself—the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Every time I chant my japa, I face my heart, hard as a rock. Material desires surface, and I have no attraction to the holy name. I feel helpless. I try, but I keep failing. But you said I already have your blessings, so I will keep trying to reciprocate with what I am already given. When will that day come when Nama Prabhu, by His mercy, reveals Himself to me? When will I develop even a little more attraction to the holy name? I am puzzled and beg at your lotus feet. I can not even pray to have pure devotional service, due to my contaminated heart. I have chosen to accumulate uncountable layers of dust upon myself, but I pray by persisting in chanting with an effort to avoid committing offenses, and by following the regulative principles, Krishna will kindly forgive me— like a father helping his child wash off the dust accumulated while foolishly playing. I pray for the desire to desire pure devotional service.

I have nothing to offer you on this day, dear Gurudeva. I do not have anything except for my persistence in devotional service. You are the personified example of Krishna’s mercy, Srila Prabhupada’s mercy—the living example of love of Godhead. For that, I have faith that as I persist in bhakti, I will one day attain love of Godhead, even when it takes many, many more lifetimes.

Thank you, Gurudeva. Your presence, your exalted character, and your devotion to Krishna are truly the best gifts that I have had the fortune to come in contact with in this lifetime. May you allow me and inspire me to serve your heart.

Your insignificant servant,

Paramesvari devi dasi

Hare Krishna Maharaja,
please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Words can't express my gratitude to you for granting me shelter.
I may not be formally initiated, but your simple instructions to me have already helped ground me and force me to focus my energy in ways that have benefitted me immensely, as well as exposing many of my immature tendencies.

You told me to do the following:
1. Make long-term plans to serve Sri Sri Radha Govinda (which has saved me from the desire to bounce around from temple to temple, in search of the most comfortable situation for my false ego)
2. Cultivate others and teach it others
3. Create a reading program, focusing on ensure my reading turns into active service, which must then turn into more reading
4. Come to Gita Nagari as often as possible

I was already inspired by hearing your incredibly forward thinking lectures on preaching in urban environments, but getting a chance to meet you and to hear you relishing Krishna katha for our benefit in Gita Nagari, as well as meeting my future godsiblings and serving with them in such a wonderful sanga, has given me a focus and a budding sense of purpose within this vast sea of Krshna consciousness.

I also feel grateful that you've given me the blessing to recover from the onslaught of passion and ignorance that are constantly threatening the sanity of any devotee preaching in New York city by allowing me to visit Gita Nagari as necessary.

I pray at your lotus feet that I can fearlessly face my fears and past tendencies in order to learn the art of serving Prabhupada's mission selflessly, as you and my seniors have done (and are doing).

Your eager servant,
Bhakta Phil

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. There are two ways that one can serve his spiritual master, by vani or by vapu. Both are important but one is considered more important. Vani or the instruction of the spiritual master is the main guiding principle in devotional life. Vani is in harmony with revealed sastra so there is every possibility that a sincere disciple upon hearing it can be successful in his spiritual life. Your instruction, dear Guru Maharaja, is in line with the revealed sastra and Guru Parampara so it is more than enough inspiration to go on with devotional life with great eagerness, determination, and enthusiasm. Let your glories, Guru Maharaja, live forever and I beg you that just one little drop of your mercy can be bestowed on this sinful living being in Kali Yuga.

Your undeserving disciple,

Prema Sankirtan das

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you.

The same dilemma Maharaj Pariksit was pondering,
Is hitting me as I try to write a Vyasa Puja offering.

How can material sound vibration describe
The qualities of Transcendence? Which in you, are alive.

The Lord makes it possible by His mercy
So I pray to the Lord to be merciful to me.

Otherwise, how can my inadequate tongue and bone dry heart
Glorify your qualities and sacrifices - where to start?

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta describes
Sri Sanatana Gosvami as the perfect guide

Because he brings one the shelter so sweet
Of Sri Madana-mohana’s lotus feet.

Madana-mohana attracts the jiva
Away from sense gratification (a burning fever)

His attractive power is stronger than Cupid’s
So that even those of us who are very stupid

Get a chance to recover from that burning fever
And become more than just a “true believer”

But re-established in our original connection with the Supreme Whole,
Then to active service, and finally life’s ultimate goal.

Gurudeva, it’s very clear to me
That Madana-mohana’s attractive energy

Acts through you in all situations
All over the world you’ve created stations

For lost jiva’s like me to come and receive
Association of devotees, the greatest reprieve
From the constant harassment of threefold miseries.

One day, the devotee cultivating me told me of a special surprise
A special chance that couldn’t be denied,

Her spiritual master was coming to town
Meaning I’d absolutely have to come down.

You blew me away by a talk on real human progress
The afterwards allowed me to meet you, and I must confess

I revealed myself as a total bumbling fool
By telling you a joke I thought was super cool…

But it wasn’t and you didn’t laugh
You rolled your eyes and I felt so daft

But it didn’t matter because you opened my eyes
Attracting me to the spiritual skies

Beyond my massive ego and puny intellect
To the Love Supreme who will never neglect

Anyone trying sincerely to follow
The transcendental instruction of Guru.

Gurudeva today to you I pray
For strength to follow your instructions to my dying day

And to continue on after that
Because I am eternally your servant, that’s that.

Thank you Gurudeva, for everything you’ve done
To attract me and countless others from darkness to the sun.

Your aspiring servant and spiritual daughter,
Prema-lahari devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please humble obeisances.
All Glory to Srila Prabhupada.

On this very auspicious day, I wish you good health.
I can only imagine it take so much effort and pain to travel all over the globe to spread the message of Krishna Consciousness. You are a very loyal and committed disciple of Srila Prabhupada.

I'm happy to bring to your knowledge that we've organized the Rath Yatra in Pune with your kind blessings. Over 200 devotees attended it. We're in good health.

It is only a miracle that despite so many challenges, distractions, and limitations on my part I'm able to chant and do a little bit of devotional service. This is all because of your kindness where you protect me from all difficulties.

Aspiring to be your servant,
Premdham Das
(Anand Munshi, Pune)

Dear Gurudeva,

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

It has been amazing this year to see how you travel to so many places - Pennsylvania, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Atlanta, Sofia, London, Budapest, Ukraine, Wellington, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Vrndavan, Mayapur and Wada. You travel tirelessly to give Krishna to others, and how you can withstand the demands on the body of air travel and be so consistent in your service is baffling. You are surely transcendental.

It is hard to keep up with all your talks about Krishna, they are so numerous. It seems that you are always increasing your service efforts and capacity and the amount that you do is quite incomprehensible. Your talks about Krishna are soothing and enlivening for the heart, and they always traverse deeper into the precious narrations of the bhakti wisdom. Thank you for giving us endless talks that we can listen to and stay placed in the spiritual energy.

You are so kind and merciful. During your stay in Wellington this September you were so kind to invite devotees here for kirtan and to read with you. Despite your busy schedule and having just come from giving a string of classes at Gita Nagari, you still made time for us to hear all together, showing us the value, necessity and sweetness of devotee association, and providing your illuminating insights into the most confidential literature. These experiences are the perfection of life and will remain imprinted on our hearts for our spiritual lives.

Every time you visit Bhakti Lounge, the kirtans are more ecstatic, the classes are more nectarean and the outreach programmes are more astounding in the way that you are able to tap into the plight of the struggling population. By your mercy everything progresses towards the eternal reality of the internal potency. By your mercy and grace, just by following your instructions to chant Hare Krishna, one’s whole reality changes. This is remarkable.

Thank you for always emphasising the solution to everything, chanting and hearing about Krishna. You never let up on this point. Maya is so strong that we really do need to hear this forever. And you are so kind and caring that you ensure this for us whenever you visit and keep the main thing the main thing, even though you personally have no trouble with any of this, simply loving to hear and chant about Krishna!

Upon reading the following instruction from Srimad Bhagavatam (2.8.7) on the importance of inquiring from the spiritual master I was reminded of your extraordinary ability to answer all the inquiries of your disciples with such comprehension and clarity:

"In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process. This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offences on the path of devotional service. Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he must still inquire from the realised spiritual master all about this. In other words, the spiritual master must also be well versed and learned so that he may be able to answer all these inquiries from the devotees. Thus one who is not well versed in the authorised scriptures and not able to answer all such relevant inquiries should not pose as a spiritual master for the matter of material gain. It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple."

The more one reads Srimad Bhagavatam and attends your classes, the more one realises how you have absorbed these texts, and you perfectly present what is stated in the sastra. And you are expert in answering the inquiries of the devotees, all with balance and expert consideration of time, place and circumstance. Your appreciation for and scholarship of the bhakti texts is infectious and makes one want to go deeper in one’s understanding and assimilation of this eternal and priceless knowledge. Your devotion to the sastra clearly demonstrates your qualification as a representative of the parampara, guiding your disciples towards the side of light.

You have helped me to overcome things that never would have been possible materially, Gurudeva, all for the sake of devotional service. In recent times, the suffering of my material family has become more acute, and I can see that would also have been my fate, had you not helped me, and by your mercy they are receiving the highest benefit despite their suffering condition. I pray that I can help them to end their suffering and also extend that to helping others in this world. Thank you for helping me in every way to be more engaged in devotional service and to overcome the impossible, dear Gurudeva.

Praying that I can serve your lotus feet increasingly and do more to assist in this sankirtana movement. Each year I am scrambling to step up to try to make real progress towards paying my debt back to you. I pray that I can let go of my attachments and become steady in this endeavour, inquiring from you and providing real assistance in the association of devotees.

With gratitude, your servant and daughter, Purnananda devi dasi

DEAR GURU MAHARAJ,

Hare Krishna.

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyas Puja.

Joining ISKCON changed my life for the best. I came to realise the purpose of human birth and importance of Krishna Bhakti. For the last 12 years, I got opportunity to read Bhagvad Gita, Srimad Bhagvat, Chaitanya Charitamrita etc. I got the opportunity to hear stories of Sri Krishna and his pure devotees.
Since then, there was a desire in my mind to visit these leelasthalis. With mercy of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath and your blessing I managed to come to India in June 2023. Since then, I have visited dhams from Vrindavan to Rameshwar and from Puri to Dwarika. I visited many unknown temples and holy places all over Bharat, with time on my side.

With the Lord’s mercy and Gurukripa, this would not have been possible. In this long stay in India, I always follow your personal instructions to me but realised that it is difficult to preach in India as people know Krishna as the Lord but not the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

With your blessing, I distributed 12 books and bring 3 souls in to Krishna Conciousness.

I thank you for accepting me as your disciple and giving me opportunity to serve you and GURU PARAMPARA. I thank you for your blessings loving attention and guidance not only to me, my son Sriman Nrsimha, but also my whole family Rohan and my husband.

I pray to LORD NRSIMHA to protect you always and pray Sri RADHA GOPINATH to keep you in good health so you can serve SRILA PRABHUPADA many more years through your preaching all over the world and help fallen souls to take KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS and go back home.

I hope to see you soon and take your darshan end of this year.

Your humble servant;
Radha Madhupati Devi Dasi
Mumbai

Dearest Gurumaharaj,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your Lotus Feet. All glories to you. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

On this most auspicious day of your Vyasa-puja, I pray for your continued good health so that many more undeserving souls like me can come in contact with the gift of Krishna Consciousness that Srila Prabhupada brought for this whole world.

It was my greatest fortune to get your precious darshan this summer at Gita Nagari dham. I pray that I get this opportunity every year.

It is your causeless mercy that you accepted me under your divine shelter, and your causeless mercy is my only hope and shelter in this life and all future lives. Today and forever, I pray for your continued merciful glance at this fallen soul.

Please forgive me Gurumaharaj for all my inadequacies in fulfilling your instructions.

Your useless servant,
Radha Mohan das
Toronto Canada

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All gloires to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on this most auspicious day.

On this most special and sacred occasion, finding the time to reflect and write down my deepest appreciation and admiration has been tricky. Not because I didn’t want to, but these days life is so jam packed with service opportunities, it’s hard to find any time. Although I do think of you often, whenever I’m contemplating and navigating challenging situations I often think what would you do? What would you want?

I have moments of laughter and intrigue by your insights, depth and clarity of vision, about a wide array of subjects. Even how our life is unfolding, you saw it all long ago. Way before we could even see it ourselves.

Thank you Gurudeva. You do so much for so many people all around the world. I’m incredibly grateful for your care and guidance. You challenge me to try harder, to do it all for Krsna and to do things I don’t even see myself being capable of.

On your recent trip to Wellington, you explained that we get swept away either by material entanglement or spiritual development. One way or another we will be swept, it’s our choice which way.

This statement of yours reminded me of an old Levin pastime (as you call them), when Krsna Prasada and I were teenagers. It was a hot summer day and we decided to go and cool off at the local beach. There was just a few locals around basking in the last rays of the sun for the day. Krsna Prasada and I dove right in, feeling instantly refreshed in the cool waters, having fun jumping and diving in the waves. Then without warning all of a sudden we were pulled into a rip.

Being pulled by a force far greater than our own, we were being swept out to sea. The easy, breezy, fun afternoon at the beach very quickly turned into a nightmare. Panic set in and so did my asthma while trying desperately to swim. We were stuck with no one around. My limbs became heavy with my head slipping more and more frequently underwater. Trying to fight against the rip was impossible. Fortunately, Krsna Prasada knew what to do. We had to float out further away from the shore. Since he is a far stronger swimmer, he eventually brought us both back to shore. We practically crawled out of the sea and collapsed on the sand gasping for air.

This experience came right back into my mind’s eye when you explained, we either get swept away materially or spiritually. Getting swept away materially looks alluring and harmless enough, but in reality, all it brings is broken dreams and despair. The enticing glitter of the material ocean, the fun and seeming innocence of it, is eating away at our time and destroying the opportunity to connect to Krsna. What we don’t realise, is that the ocean of material existence strips us of everything, it’s all for nothing and it all happens so quickly.

Life without Krsna is no life at all.

You, dear Gurudeva are like the lifeguard on the beach. You set up the flags, warning us of the harms of rip tides, which would swallow us whole if we didn’t follow your expert guidance. You educate us to make better decisions and you offer us access into the realm far greater - the ocean of devotional service.

You once told us we need to learn how to swim in the flood of the ocean of devotional service. This is the only ocean I want to be surrounded by - always guided by you.

On this most auspicious day I pray, please give me the intelligence, determination and love to swim whole heartedly in this nectarean ocean of mercy you have so mercifully given to all of us.

Begging always to remain at the shelter of your lotus feet.

Your spiritual daughter and trainee swimmer,

Radha Prasada devi dasi

Dearest Gurudev,
Hare Krishna!

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila PRABHUPADA!!
All glories to you, dear gurudev.

Gurudev, Happy Birthday!

I am always grateful for your mercy.
I think about you whenever I am going through tough times.
That helps me to continue on with devotional service.

Forever grateful for your service.
I wish you always in good health.

Your servant,
Radha Sarana dd

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasapuja.

It has been over a year since I left New Zealand and returned to my "homeland." The return was not easy for me. First, I stayed a few months in Bulgaria to care for my dying father, who was slowly being consumed by cancer. It was a powerful experience where all the knowledge from the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam about impermanence of the body and the existence of the eternal soul suddenly came alive before my eyes.

While my sister and other relatives were in chaos, it was interesting to observe my reaction on the day my father took his last breath. Instead of sharing their confusion and grief, I felt a deep humility and peace in my heart because I knew his life is eternal and his body is just a shell.

During those few weeks I was caring for my father, I tried my best to serve him spiritually. You emphasize this point again and again to us: life is just a short journey. We are here today and gone tomorrow, so it is better to utilize our short lives for self-realization.

Witnessing the death of a loved one is a significant wake-up call.

I really want to thank you, Gurudeva, for guiding me on this powerful spiritual path. I would have broken down and been unable to help my father in this most crucial time of his life if I hadn’t met you and your disciples, who provided me with the best life education.

After this very sad yet profound life event, I decided to visit the holy places in India, which I had heard about from devotees for so many years and always longed to see. It was a great blessing for me that on my first trip to India, I was guided by Krishnaloka mataji, and I shared many wonderful devotional experiences with my dear younger godsisters from New Zealand, whose association I missed very much.

Being in the holy dhamas was another powerful experience after my father's death. First, we came to Mayapur, where we had the honor of having darshan with you in your apartment. I remember how we read the Krishna Book together, specifically the chapter about how Akrura entered Vrindavan. You, like the most loving father, wanted us— inexperienced girls—to have the best consciousness while entering Vrindavan Dham. I recall you telling us that we should strive to develop the same eagerness to see Krishna that Akrura had when he traveled to Vrindavan for the first time.

I was immensely happy to be in your association because I was very much afraid that because I left New Zealand I would never see you again. But when I saw you in Mayapur, I felt a great relief. I realized that even though my material father had left my life, I am here with my spiritual father, who always cares for me and who can never abandon me spiritually.

In Vrindavan, I finally met the renowned Daivi Shakti mataji, whose morning class about the pastimes of Krishna brought me to tears. Later on, mataji shared with us some very sweet stories about how she met you in America for the first time.

I really want to thank you, Gurudeva, for giving me the blessing to enter the holy dhamas. I would never be able to see Krishna's birth place if I hadn’t met you and your disciples, who provided me with the best life journey

My stay in India was short yet magical and once again an experience that cannot be described in words.

After India, I came to the Czech Republic and started my life anew. I had to learn to live again in a country where I hadn’t lived for over 13 years. It took me a few months to adapt. Finding work, getting to know a new devotee community, making new friends, and searching for devotional service were all challenging situations once again.

But the devotees are very merciful, and very soon I found a nice job at Govinda’s restaurant and made new friendships with the devotees.

The only challenge I find is the way they preach about Krishna consciousness here, which is very hard for me to adapt to.

I really want to thank you, Gurudeva, for creating all the unique and brilliant outreach centers around the world where especially westerners can find full shelter from Maya's clutches. I would never have become a devotee if I hadn’t come to one of these centers. They Are truly unique and briliant. I am realizing it every day more and more.

I pray to you that I could get the strenth, the intelligence, the purity, the compassionate heart to create at least a small scale centre of similar style here in Czech for your pleasure. That would make my life perfect and my heart fullfilled. But i feel very weak, insignificant and unworthy of such blessing.

Gurudeva, even though I miss my New Zealand friends every day, and I long for the dancing at The Loft and The Bhakti Lounge again, the services I performed there, and your sweet sanga, I try to stay strong and sober.&nbsp;I am committed to continuing the mission of saving lost conditioned souls wherever I am, under your guidance, to the best of my ability.

I love these prayers of Srila Prabhupada to his spiritual master and to Krishna.

akhila jagat-guru! bacana se amar
alankrta koribar khamata tomar

O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, and if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.”


ki ko're bujhabo katha baro sei cahi
khudra ami dina hina kono sakti nahi

How will I make them understand this message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.


On this special occasion, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for not giving up on me, even after I left New Zealand.&nbsp;It was soothing to have a personal darshan with you in Bulgaria this year. I truly appreciated your loving understanding of my situation and why I decided to live in the Czech Republic.
I really hope to see you next year perhaps in Bulgaria again.

I would like to thank you for all the support and guidance I received from you during my time in New Zealand. Your teachings continue to help and inspire me in all aspects of my life.


I pray for your continued health and strength to lead us on the path of devotion.


Thank you for everything you do for us.


your insignificant servant
Radhananda devi dasi

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupad!
All glories to Gauranga!
All glories to you dear Gurudev!!

Hare Krishna to you, Gurudev! Our Prayers to Sree RadhaGopinath for your good health.

nama oṁ viṣṇu pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣthāya bhūtale śrīmate devāmṛta swāmīn iti nāmine
pracāre pūrva-dākṣyaṁ ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā parārthatāpi kāruṇyaṁ yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto you Gurudev, you are very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Obeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching, competence in Vaishnava dealings, selflessness and compassion."

Gurudev, always grateful to you for mercifully accepting me as your spiritual daughter. I never thought my life will take this meaningful course. Had it not been your mercy and guidance, I would have continued to leave my life without a real purpose following the common crowd. Your disciples Harinamamrita, Gopi premamrita, My Prabhu Janmastami Das are sincerely guiding me to progress in Bhakthi.

Gurudev, You are my strength.Whenever I am exhausted, distressed, you give me strength every time to get up and face the reality thru Bhakthi Seva. You come in my dreams to bounce me back to normal. Whenever I feel confused on what to do, you not occasionally but always always guide me through your lectures, totally to the point I needed. too.You are the force behind me to help me chant my rounds, to read sastras, serve vaishnavas and serve Sree Radhagopinath regardless of what goes in my mind.

Gurudev! Prabhu and I by your mercy got your instruction to give Krishna to others by conducting a home Program. We have recently started a class with 7 families. While we are only instruments, it is you who sent these souls to us and you are preaching them through us. We seek your blessings to be well qualified with sadhana, compassion, humility, love, affection and other Vaishnava qualities as you possess to the highest, so we be able to influence these souls to revive their love and devotion to Krishna and thereby please you and Krishna.

We haven't seen Srila Prabhupad and Gauranga but I am seeing their qualities in you, in the way you preach strongly, your compassion, the austerities you take in travelling across the globe, in your diet. We can never repay you but try to please you in our tiny capacity by writing this offerings for which I am not even qualified.

I would like to reflect few of my thoughts from hearing your lecture:

Your kirtans are always so mermerising and peaceful which immediately brings tranquillity in mind.

I am realising recently your lectures are more on Krishna's pastimes which is so mesmerising when heard from you. It clearly makes us feel your deep affection, attraction and service to the Lord.

You always touch on current worldly affairs, environmental issues, generation problems and changing mindset of people which makes me wonder how you know all these to this detail when we Grahasthas are always getting bewildered going through this.

As SB. 8.7.44 says, "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 everyone’s heart." When you mentioned that you don't like travel, but seeing you always travelling all the time to enlighten us, fallen souls shows your greatness, sincerity in serving Srila Prabhupad instructions and compassion. This reminds of a quality of Krishna, bhaktha vaksala, who kept going back and forth, numerous times, to meet Pandavas for helping him, similarly it shows your affection for your disciples all over the world.

In your lectures, you nicely concluded that your search for finding a solution for mankind problem finally happened in Krishna consciousness which was a such a cheerful message.
Your words about gratitude is influencing so deeply, that it has created a sense of appreciation and acknowledgement in peer devotees, God family which is so nice to experience and motivating/motivate. I am slowly seeing a change in me, moving slowly from a rational behaviour to an emotional behaviour in this aspect, I am starting to understanding, rethink how much other person support or help has helped me in my Krishna Consciousness. Thank you so much Gurudev to also make me slowly appreciate what Krishna has given to us and giving to us every day.

We had a good fortune to attend the Ottaki year end retreat and happened to get your association. We were so pleased to see you visiting during Prasadam time, so dear and kind and giving lectures, kirtans for long hours. I was totally amazed at your qualities, the energy level you showed during the Kirtan, and patience while sitting in the vyasasan for a long time, your enthusiasm in explaining lecture every time with the same level of energy.

You last guided me on how to take my job based on how much it is helping in my Krishna Consciousness, since then I am able to subtly handle my job issues in a matured way but there is more to mature, for which I humbly beg for your mercy to tackle without affecting my progress in Bhakthi.

My Prabhu Janmastami Das and Hemanth are trying to sincerely practice and improve in Bhakthi and to please you. I seek your blessings and mercy all the time, for us to overcome our anarthas, karmas, avoid aparathas, dovetail our desires and sincerely practice our Sadhana, Seva, to make wise decisions, develop Vaishnava qualities like you, so it pleases you and Krishna.

Praying always to humbly serve at your lotus feet.
Always a humble servant and a pleasing daughter.

Radhastami Devi Dasi

Dear Gurudev,

This is the most wonderful day ! that by divine GauraNitai arrangement, you were chosen as their messenger to walk on this planet, and spread your dust, one of which happened to fall on me. Even though I have not still taken full benefit of it, the strong desire still emits from my each heartbeat.

I have been this year meditating on your pranama mantra:

pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

You are an accomplished expert in the guidance of top most etiquette of this bhakti tradition. And on the other hand your mercy for the welfare of others, sees no bounds. Although I had been reading this pranam mantra in the initial days only as a customary, and ritualistic routine - after such long years, the essence of it has started to hit home, and is sinking in my heart.
Two of the top most qualities I have constantly observed, and noticed in you are your endless tolerance and immense patience. Only God knows how you do it ! But I am starting to also see this is only possible because of your deep, grave and endless blissful attraction to the naam japa.

On this day, I would like to seek all the blessings I can from the celestial and transcendental realms above, so I can stand up to be a worthy example of being your disciple.

I wish to also pray to Narsimaha bhagvaan to protect you in every path you are in. Let us see you as long as possible, and absorb your affection for us as far as possible.

Seeking your blessings too
Humbly
Radhika Prasad Das (Sydney)

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you.

My apologies for this offering based on death - however I guess that's a big part of our program - acknowledging the inevitable and learning how to die properly.

During last year's Vyasa Puja, my stepdad was in hospital following a heart attack, and he left his body the week after the celebration. Death and grief is painful and unpredictable - separation in the material world is awful however serves as a great reminder that we don't belong in a temporary environment. It's also amazing to reflect that separation in the spiritual world is the highest ecstasy.

While feeling the pain of losing my Stepdad, I could only think of what intense pain I will feel when you leave your body. Damodara Krishna kindly shared how a devotee leaving is a lot different - but I just still feel that an existence without your presence seems unbearable. Silly of me really to put so much into vapu, when really you are training us to focus on vani.. Service to our spiritual master is eternal through following our vows and instructions and you role model this expertly through your love and commitment to Srila Prabhupada.

I read in Caitanya caritamriata, Madhya Lila, 20.397 purport that there are 2 types of devotees - the sadhaka (who is preparing for perfection) and the siddha (who is already perfect). I reflected on your perfection and was excited to read on and find out the following "After leaving the material body, the perfect devotee takes birth from the womb of a gopi on a planet where Krishna's pastimes are going on. This may be in this universe or another universe... When a devotee becomes perfect, he is transferred to a universe where Krishna's pastimes are taking place. Krishna's eternal associates go wherever Krishna manifests His pastimes." I know already that you are with Krishna, no doubt about it. But this is still exciting to know where you will be heading next.

Lord Caitanya did however Himself show us how when a Vaisnava passes it is mixed feelings - when Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakura left it says (Antya 11.100) that the Lord took rest with mixed feelings of happiness and distress. So, this is what is to come. A mixed bag of emotions.

No doubt I will miss you, but I know our relationship is eternal because you mercifully accepted me as your daughter. I know you won't ever leave me, so I pray I remain fixed at your feet with your instructions in the forefront, and not be so stupid as to get distracted by the false hopes and glitter of Maya.

I feel fortunate to try to see the reality and sadness of the temporary and painful nature of the material world and to be able to try use my intelligence to see through sastra, this is all by your mercy. I get a lot of help from the devotees, you have such wonderful disciples.

I pray I become more realised and selfless - just like you. I pray to fix on your vani, so that even when there is the pain of separation, I can try to help you fulfil your spiritual master's mission - you are the most wonderful example of this as you live and breathe service to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. You are perfect and I am so underserving of your affection, but I thank you endlessly for it.

Your aspiring servant,
Radhika-bhava devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to you on this most auspicious day

On this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja, I reflect deeply on your unwavering commitment to guiding lost souls toward true heart satisfaction and spiritual fulfillment. In your 2005 lecture in Cardiff, you painted a vivid picture of the challenges we face in today’s materialistic world—one rife with instability, global inequality, and emotional discontent. You reminded us that despite society's distractions, the greatest treasure we can seek is internal spiritual growth.

You encouraged us to envision ourselves 15 years into the future, asking what kind of people we aspire to become. That vision, as you explained, must not be dictated by material achievements but by the depth of our spiritual consciousness. Your words about balancing personal spiritual practices with societal and familial expectations struck me deeply. You emphasize the importance of not delaying our private spiritual practices, urging us to prioritize our inner development even when external pressures seem overwhelming.

What stood out most to me was your emphasis on association with like-minded individuals. You highlighted how crucial it is to surround ourselves with those who share our spiritual aspirations, as this association fuels our own growth. Whether navigating personal relationships or professional responsibilities, you showed us how maintaining a core spiritual identity allows us to remain anchored in Krishna consciousness while facing the world’s uncertainties.

Your tireless dedication to spreading Krishna consciousness globally—across various cultures and through the intricacies of emotional and spiritual growth—sets a profound example for all of us. You show us that no matter where we are or what challenges we face, heart satisfaction is possible when we use our senses and our lives to serve Krishna.

Thank you for illuminating the path forward, for encouraging us to dive deeper into our spiritual practices, and for showing us that the greatest fulfillment comes from surrendering to Krishna. I pray that I may carry forward your teachings, growing stronger in my own spiritual journey and aspiring to serve you and Srila Prabhupada's mission with sincerity.

Your servant,

Radhikesa dasa

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances

Dandvat Pranams

While I am writing this Vyasa Puja offering, I am thinking of a Hindi Proverb which says to show a lamp to the sun. Your desire to help people so that they can be liberated from this material world can be seen from the fact that at such an old age where the body is not so supportive you are travelling around the globe helping so many devotees, disciples and people in general. This is not possible for an ordinary person but its only possible for a transcendental personality. Another example of this is that you have completely changed your diet based on what the doctors have recommended you. You are living such an austere life for all of us.

Prabhupada in the lecture for the 1st chapter of Bhagavad Gita (London, July 7, 1973) mentions that Mahātmā means he has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa cent percent, and his only business is to worship and glorify Kṛṣṇa. Duryodhana never realised Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, similarly though your words and actions always surprise me, I too am like Duryodhana who can't realise that you are a mahan atma (mahatma) amidst us.

I am personally indebted to you for all the guidance that you have given me over the years. You have always made time for me and given me help when I most required it. Most importantly you have not left me and taken care of me for which I will always be indebted for.

I am unfortunately a very fallen person, and I can only say that your presence in my life has helped me a lot. I don't know what to write to be honest because I am such a great fool. I know you will understand my emotions though this offering. I wish you a very happy Vyasa Puja Gurudev, please bless me and my wife so that we can improve in Krishna Consciousness and do something for our beloved Srila Prabhupada's movement.

Your humble servant,
Rahul Ramchandani

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I am now beginning to understand why Jesus said “I am the only way”
One can’t serve the Lord directly and one can’t jump over the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Krsna wants to see that we serve his pure devotees who have taken all risks to execute His mission.

“ To be well versed in Krsna consciousness one has to act firmly and obey the representative of Krsna”

“ without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement”

“When a disciple gives up the order of the spiritual master and acts independently he checks his own progress”

On this occasion please allow me to say thank you for the things you have given me that I can see, although I don’t have the eyes to see the transcendental and matchless gifts you have offered.

I’m very grateful as you are the main person who taught how to play the drum. Just as a fish raises its offspring by looking at them, by your stern correctional glances I learnt so many things I shouldn’t do on the drum. And you gave me by far all the best advice.
You are also my favourite kirtan leader. It is a great honor and pleasure to play for you. You squeeze all my dusty and dormant enthusiasm for kirtan out of me.
Cooking, Cleaning, becoming a human. This are all your incredible inventions in my life. I never thought of doing any of these things ever. Because they had no self destructive aspects they seemed useless to me.
Giving class, public speaking, making kirtan, human and devotee dealings. None of these had any appeal before I meet you. Mainly because I didn’t know they existed. You gave the scope and power.

I can easily say when I examine myself I find nothing of value. Your instruction and inspiration is all that makes what there is of me today.

Dawdling towards the most eternal and exalted destination of one day becoming your servant

Ramadas Das.

Hare Krishna Dear Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. I wish you a very happy vyasa puja.
Your quality of unwavering dedication to Krishna consciousness and your knowledge of the vedas astounds me.
And thank you for giving me knowledge like one question I really wanted to know recently was, is Govardhan Hill a manifestation of Lord Krishna and if so how did Govardhan Hill get cursed, can krishna get cursed ? and the answer you gave was that Govardhan Hill appears to shrink but in reality it does not shrink at all which is very fascinating. You also asked me do you know the nature of Vrindavana and I would like to know more about the nature of Vrindavana.

So in conclusion your knowledge of the vedas inspires me and the knowledge you have given me I am grateful for.

Your servant Ramai

nama om vishnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale&nbsp;
srimate devamrita swami iti namine.&nbsp;
pracare purva daksyam ca&nbsp;
bhaktacara pravinata&nbsp;
pararthatapi karunyam&nbsp;
yasya sarva ca te namah&nbsp;


Hare krsna dear gurumaharaj,


Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupad. All Glories to your Lotus feet.

&nbsp;

Gurudev, on this vyasa puja day of yours, I would like to start by wishing you a Happy Appearance Day! Thank you for your presence in our lives and for guiding us to lead our grhasta lives keeping krsna at the centre always. Also, Gurudev, attending your last three lectures during your recent visit in Melbourne, I would like to express how I am always jaw-dropped in admiration of your immense knowledge of the shastras; specially how you always tie shastra knowledge with science and world facts. Listening to you always reinforces it in my heart that I am not following anything blindly.

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Gurudev, I will have to admit that in my head I always imagined you as a strict father of mine. I always have to think a few times in my head before uttering something... I know Dhira Siromani keeps on talking about your caring aspect, how you ask about how everyone is doing, but I am very touched to personally witness it this year. I would like to thank you immensely for the invaluable gift you sent for me earlier this year. I did not get the chance to thank you in person. I know you asked Dhira Siromani a couple of times if I am using it. There are very few possessions that mean a lot to me and is close to my heart which i cherish. For fear of losing it I keep it safe because it is so invaluable.

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Dear father, I would like to end this offering by thanking you for your love and mercy upon all of us. I am grateful for the time and energy you invest to come here. I pray to Sri Radhavallabha for your good health and long life.

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Please always give us your blessings,

Your servants,

Ramani Siromani &amp; Sudevi-Kisori

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HH Devamrita Swami Maharaj Vyasapuja 2024

Om Agyana thimirandasya Gyanajana Shalakaya Shakshurunmilitham ena thasmai Sri Guruve Namaha!
Namah Om Vishnu Padaya Krishna Preshtaya Bhutale
Srimate Devamrita Swamin Iti Namine
Prachare Purva Dhaksam Ca Bhakti cara Praveenata
Paratapte Karunyam Yasya Sarvachate Namaha

Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my prostrated obeisances unto your lotus feet. It is not easy to glorify great personalities, It is not possible for me to describe your wonderful qualities. But it is the duty of a disciple to glorify the spiritual master on vysa pooja day. Please kindly forgive me If I commit any mistake, as this is my first offering to you.
The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence.
After meditating on this verse I was wondering of what will be my position in this fire like material world which is dhukhalayam without your mercy. Because of your mercy I came to the process of Krishna consciousness. Thank you Gurudeva for being so kind.
By Lords mercy we got the opportunity to attend the Recharge festival last year, where we had opportunity to stay out of network. We relished your beautiful katha and Kirtan. All we did there was chanting, reading, hearing and opulent prasadam. Your Kirtan was so powerful, even after returning to my daily work I could hear your Kirtan vibrating and my mouth automatically singing the holy name. That day I realised the power of your association, even the fallen soul like me can revibrate on your Kirtan. In your recent lectures you explained not to take bhakti for granted. I am really greatful to you as we are practicing devotion in opulence. We always get answer to our questions through your lectures. and Senior devotees to guide us in our critical situations. Thank you so much gurudev for all these opulence.
In Bhagavad Gita 7.14 Srila Prabhupad eaxplains “ A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself – he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature”. Guru dev you are my only saviour from this material world.
You always explain about seeing Krishna through ears in your lecture, I request you to shower your mercy on me so I can improve the quality of my chanting and develop taste in chanting the holy name. Also gurudev please shower your mercy so I can serve your Vapu. On this auspicious day I pray to Sri Sri Radha Vallabha to shower you with good health, so that more souls can be liberated. Thank you so much for accepting this insignificant soul as your disciple.
Your insignificant servant,
Rangini Dasi,
Anirudh
And
Prajna.

Dearest Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories unto you.

I feel out of my depth in writing an offering to such a personality as yourself. Because you’ve completely changed the discourse of my existence - at least, from what I can see in my limited realization. But I have faith that as the years go on, things will start dawning on me. At least for now, while I stumble and find my feet, I thank you dearly for your patience. As you endlessly give to me, I feel that I always fall short in reciprocation and service. I pray that I may offer something that is pleasing to you.

It was at the Easter Bhakti Retreat this year that you gave an incredibly striking example of Haridas Thakur. He was sent to prison and the inmates were eager to inquire how to get out of their situation. Expecting that Haridas Thakur could offer a solution to ease their material anxieties, he instead encouraged them to stay in prison. By staying, they had the greatest facilities for hearing and chanting. What was particularly striking was when you were recounting this pastime, you theatrically imitated Haridas Thakur by reaching your hand out and signaling to halt and “stay as you are. Stay right there as you are.” This was a shaking moment for me. Your profound presentation opened a window of realizations and since then I have been frequently reflecting on this moment.

You elaborated that Haridas Thakur had glanced upon the inmates and that “the glance of a devotee is always filled with auspiciousness.” In my own reflection, I can see that I’m a prisoner of my mind’s whims and you are always guiding me and injecting my life with auspiciousness. Thank you so dearly Gurudeva.

Gradually, as my mind begins to clear from all my past nonsense, I’m slowly catching on to how you are always two steps ahead of me - always walking in front and clearing the bhakti path of all the weeds. Thank you for sincerely caring for my bhakti practice and inspiring me to stay where I am, so that I may focus on Krishna without distraction.

The nandini ashram feels like an extended hand of your mercy and care. I’m praying that my actions can express my gratitude for my ashram experience. Especially since I hear how rare it is for women in bhakti to be facilitated to this standard. To be given a full range of devotional service, opportunities, loving support, expert guidance and a chance to heal on both a material and spiritual level. Not only that but the chance to meet with you regularly. I leave every darshan with a breakthrough. You pour merciful encouragement, corrections and the deepest care and nourishment. I feel protected under your care. Thank you for your labour of love - expertly inspiring us to rise above the complexities of the female nature. It’s by your desire that we are learning how to get a taste for selfless service, hearing and chanting. Thank you dearly for this opportunity.


I’m praying on this day that I can become a concreted disciple. As an ashram lady, so much of my spiritual growth and development is facilitated for that I wonder how much effort do I really put in? But I pray that I can learn to become solid and fixed in your service. To make the most of your expert training and guidance so that I will continue to walk through this bhakti path, following in your big steps of devotional service to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you Gurudeva for all the time that you’ve given me in darshans, all the Bhagavatam classes that sharpen my intelligence, all the sacrifice you’ve undertaken so that I may grow effortlessly, the absolutely rocking kirtans that leave samskaras in my heart, all your encouragements, and everything else you’ve done behind the scenes so that we may get a taste of bhakti.

Praying to become a sincere disciple and to keep my life simple so that I can be an effective instrument for your transcendental desires and aspirations for this movement.


Your servant and spiritual daughter,
Rasesvari devi dasi

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your divine appearance day.

In your recent visit to Melbourne, you gave a most beautiful example in your lecture – you said “unless you understand what is light and heat that come from the sun, how can you understand what the sun is?” Referring to the point that one needs to first understand the science of the Supreme Lord, before they can even understand who the Supreme Lord is. Extending this elegant example further, I would say - if we cannot understand the spiritual master, how is it possible for us to understand the Supreme Lord? To understand the depth within the heart of the spiritual master and to give one’s own heart to the spiritual master – this is the quintessential purpose of life. A purpose that, indeed, you have gloriously exemplified in your life. From intensely reading 16 hours a day of Caitanya Caritamrta, as your editing service in the BBT, to courageously sneaking behind the iron curtain and preaching in the Soviet Union, to travelling around the world extensively preaching and developing preaching centres for the past four decades. Not a day goes by that you are not endeavouring to capture the heart of Srila Prabhupada and fulfill his mission.

Therefore, for us, to understand your heart - one needs to listen to your classes. They are simply beyond nectar and your words are like Vedic hymns nourishing our desert-like heart and mind. It is a common characteristic that pure devotees don’t waste any time, nor do they waste even a single word. Behind every word you voice is an ocean of transcendental realisation and deep absorption in Srila Prabhupada’s purports. Utilised so meticulously like a surgeon with a blade, you expertly allure the conditioned souls back to the Lotus Feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

You exhibit gravity in presenting the scriptures, like thunderbolts striking our very false bodily identifications and curating the most perfect examples and analogies for people from all walks of life to understand. Your expertise in delivering the most cutting-edge research, statistics, global phenomenon and even pop culture; packaging it all in the most thought-provoking way to simply convince people of the urgency of spiritual revolution. Many times, I have witnessed first-hand, seeing the expressions of new people’s faces when your words trigger that moment of deep contemplation - when the vale of illusory material life gets shattered, and they become sober to the reality of material nature. This is quite enjoyable to observe.

In my recent darshan, before initiation, the first thing you said to me was “How long have we been waiting for you?” I felt so uplifted from those words, to know how much love and compassion you have for this insignificant soul – to feel as if you’re the hook casted into the ocean of material suffering and is pulling me out to safety.

Within the last 12 months, I have experienced an incredible year of expansive services within my bhakti career; from book distribution, preaching events, cultivation and other services – I was able to do accomplish things beyond what I thought was ever imaginable – and I know that in all of my endeavours, not a single thing was done by my own accord and all was carried out through your mercy and empowerment. Not a single action can be performed, without the puppeteer pulling the strings. I pray that you continue to pull the strings in my life and make me dance in whatever way you desire. Although I am of no value, please do not discard me – use me as your puppet on stage and empower me to fulfill your mission. Kindly bestow your strength and protection on me so I can give up all my material desires and anarthas. Allow me to hang on to every single one of your instructions and if Krishna willing, maybe one day I may be able to understand the depths of your heart and be worthy of your mercy.

Your Aspiring Servant,

Rasikendra Dasa

Please accept my humble obeisances Gurudev.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your lotus feet and to the relentlessly merciful devotees who exemplify your instructions.

Although deep down I harbour some faint infinitesimal desire to serve at your lotus feet, serving you is a far cry until I have a steady grasp on the intricacies of personalism. It’s indeed such a rarity to be able to serve a transcendental personality like yourself. My aspiration is to be steadfast in executing your instructions. Please excuse my shortcomings which are anything but ‘short.’ Human life as you tirelessly insist is meant for the quest of the ‘Superior Pleasure.’ I was stuck at the superficies of impersonalism or escapism until you expertly devised the mirror against me by your causeless mercy and transcendental network of sadhus. The battle between the mind/false ego/body complex and the eternal soul for my conditioned self would be a pointless charade if it wasn’t for your mercy. Fortunately enough a lost battle doesn’t equate to a lost war.

To glorify your Holiness would be to imitate you because you are so expert at glorifying everyone just like an expert honey bee. Regardless, I can’t even envision coming close to following in the footsteps of an advanced devotee like yourself. Personally I can’t be thankful enough to you for your extreme tolerance. It’s just a testimony to your expertise in the art and science of transcendental parenting. My most substantial offering to you would be to be steadfast in internalising your mood and instructions in service to Srila Prabhupada, Predecessor Acharyas and Lord Krishna Chaitanya. However, I am realistic and I know that it will still take a lot more of intense internal work. Your instructions through countless lectures and personal instructions always point towards the true wealth which is devotee association and how to extract the nectar from it. It’s the practical application of the “Unity in Diversity” principle which is only a sentiment at best for materialists. Over the years I have observed how it’s a common theme amongst all your disciples to ensure spiritual cohesion through the simple and powerful process of Sravanam-Kirtanam. Indeed there can never be any substance to ‘relationships’ unless the cleansing process of hearing and chanting makes way for the soul. It’s something so simple yet so profound. Yet millions and billions of taxpayer’s dollars are wasted on empiric research on relationships and happiness. If only one submissively accepted instructions from an advanced devotee like yourself would one be able to conclusively get to the root of it all-our eternal relationship in loving service to Krishna.

Global conflicts, familial conflicts, regional and national conflicts, interpersonal and intrapersonal conflicts. It’s all just conflicts everywhere in this dense darkness of Kali-owing to uncontrolled mind and senses. Where there is no Devotional Service there is no chance of resolution or peace of any sort. It’s only through the mercy of the Spiritual Master that a nitya-baddha-jiva avails the jewel of Devotional Service. And it’s only through the mercy of the Spiritual Master that there can be any hope of World ‘Peace’ when one embodies His instructions by developing genuine compassion, equanimity, empathy, truthfulness, mind and sense-control, amongst many other saintly qualities. Otherwise, there are endless assemblies of croaking toads with nefarious agendas for sense gratification. My aspiration is to personally be the best example I can be so as to inspire others by following in the footsteps of your humble servants. What hope is there otherwise for myself, and humanity at large? You help me see things in perspective, switching my myopic lenses for a more wholistic approach to existence. Surely this switch is an austerity. But I am hopeful that I will be able to endure through the seemingly rough embraces which are infact embedded with unconditional love and affection. It indeed takes great humility, determination and patience to grow through the path of Bhakti Yoga. The depth in wisdom and perseverance as displayed by your disciples is just a testimony to your unflinching love for Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.

May this Vyasapuja be a reminder to myself of the rarity of human form of life. Even rarer is the association of devotees. And furthermore, rarer is advancement in devotional service ultimately culminating in Prema Bhakti or rather Kevala-Prema. In contrast what’s there to these countless lifetimes of material existence consisting of chewing the chewed! May I gradually progress to serve you with the right attitude and aptitude without falsities and devious intentions one day. Please excuse my insincerities and hopefully one day I can rise above my shallow sentiments in service to your Lotus Feet.


Your aspiring servant!
Rāsotsava Das.

Hare Krishna Srila Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet on this auspicious day of your appearance
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

If someone offers us a shortcut in life, we readily appreciate it. And here you are, Gurudeva, bestowing upon us the ultimate shortcut by leading us away from lifetimes of fruitless quests for fleeting happiness, and instead, steering us toward the path of eternal bliss.

In one of your Srimad Bhagavatam classes in Hare Krishna Melbourne temple, you emphasised on Gratitude. It stayed with me since then. This gratitude is incomplete with glorifying you. You accepted an unworthy disciple like me into your shelter. I'll be forever grateful that you have come into my life and have given me this precious gift of your mercy. I pray to Sri Sri Radha Vallabha to always keep me under your shelter.

All glories to you
Aspiring to be your menial servant
Ria Sharma

My dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.All glories to Srila Prabupada.All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance.
Gurudev with my little understanding,I am writing this to you .So please forgive me for my mistake and accept my humble offering on to your lotus feet.
Thank you so much for accepting the fallen soul as your disciple although I am total unworthy.I have no qualifications.Thank you so much for your unlimited mercy. We came to you broken and lost and Gurudev you accept us .May the blessings of Sri Sri Radhashayamsunder ji and Srila Prabupada we are so fortunate,blessed and grateful to have your shelter. Now everything is alright dear Gurudev.You changed our life ,you know everything.Every words that comes from the lotus mouth of Gurudev is real,true and auspicious. We are so fortunate having your association and Darshan. Your kinds words and your smile brings so much positivity is our Bhakti life .You are our inspiration Gurudev. Now I am happy with my devotional life ,you protect us you protect our Bhakti Lata . Thank you so much for everything Gurudev.we are really blessed.
Your servant,
Ritu Rani

Nama om vishnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale srimate Devamrita Swami iti namine.
Pracare purva daksyam ca bhaktacara pravinata pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarva ca te namah

Hare Krishna Gurudev, please accept my humble obeisances, and please give me your mercy so that I can write few words in your glorification.

I feel very much motivated when I hear your lectures. The recent series of lectures you gave at Gita-Nagri were like nectar. You shared the sweet childhood pastime of Lord Krishna and shared the glories of holy name. The interesting aspect of your lectures I find are you make the highest spiritual truths simplified for conditioned soul like me.

I wonder how even before joining ISKCON, you had the strong taste for Bhagavad Gita, and the first word you said to a devotee was Srimad Bhagavatam. This shows you were/ are not an ordinary soul. You are messenger of god whom your mother prayed for us to make us delivered. I thank to your mother for this wonderful gift on this auspicious occasion of your Vyas Puja.

A pure devotee even though has mystic power, but they don’t exhibit them. You have such a mystic power, and I would like to share. This year we had baby Chandrika and when we were coming for your darsan, me and my wife thought of asking how to raise children in Krishna consciousness. But, before even we ask you were already answering, and we were amazed.

We are very fortunate in Melbourne to have your association frequently. I was also wondering how you manage such a busy schedule even at this mature age similar to your Guru Maharaj Srila Prabhupada. You are true representative of Srila Prabhupada and I wish to serve you more.

I would like to thank you Gurudev for accepting me as your disciple and initiating me. Also, thank you for giving me the spritual name - Rudra-Gita.

Even though your glories are unlimited, I am not good in glorifying. So, please forgive me for my lack of qualification and give me your mercy so that I can learn more to serve you and in the mission of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Your servant,
Rudra-Gita Das

Nama om Vishnu-padaya
Krishna-pressthaya bhu tale
Srimate Devamrita
Swamin iti namine
Pracare purva-daksyam ca
Bhaktacara-pravinata
Parathatapi karunyam
Yasya sarve ca te namah


Hare Krishna Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and onto your lotus feet.

SB.11.2.29
durlabho mānuṣo deho
dehināṁ kṣaṇa-bhaṅguraḥ
tatrāpi durlabhaṁ manye
vaikuṇṭha-priya-darśanam
For the conditioned souls, the human body is most difficult to achieve, and it can be lost at any moment. But I think that even those who have achieved human life rarely gain the association of pure devotees, who are dear to the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha.

How fortunate we are to have your association. Out of 120 million people in my home country and somehow or other came to New Zealand then somehow or other met devotee then somehow or other took initiation from you.
The other 119,999,999 lost or could not achieve, utilis this human form of life, which is already rare to achieve.

Thank you very much to give me realisation – the purpose of having human body.


SB.7.6.1
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
kaumāra ācaret prājño
dharmān bhāgavatān iha
durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life — in other words, from the tender age of childhood — to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete perfection.

How fortunate I am to serve you and your disciples. Out of number of devotees around the world, what is the chance of doing devotional services without any immediate threat like violence and wars. Even without those circumstances, what is the chance of doing devotional services daily with or for other devotees or for the ISKCON community.
Some devotees may be in very difficult circumstance right now or unable to do seva.

Thank you very much to allow me to stay in your bhakti family – allowing me to do some service for you.


Begging to humbly serve you and your disciples,

Your servant of your servant
Rudrarama Pandit dasa

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances at Your lotus feet on this auspicious day of Your Vyasa Puja. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Your transcendental adventures all over the world!

nama om vishnu-padaya Krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate Devamrita-svamin iti namine

pracäre purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacära-pravinäta
pararthatäpi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah

On this Vyasa Puja day, I again reflect on how fallen I am and how undeserving I am of Your mercy that You shower on us. Because of your mercy I have been able to personally serve Sri Sri Radha kalachandji, even though I am not worthy of it. I am so grateful for all the love and kindness that You have shown my wife and me.

This year was special for two reasons.

First, was because we got Your personal association in Gita Nagari. It was such a blissful experience being in Gita Nagari doing what we can, to serve You as well as Radha Damodar and the devotees. We are eternally grateful to You for these opportunities to serve.

I looked forward to Your association, kirtan, and Srimad Bhagavatham lectures during the evenings. When my wife and I had Your personal darshan you gave me the direct instruction to accelerate my reading of the Srimad Bhagavatham. I started doing so diligently, while I was still in Gita Nagari, and have been continuing it since.

The second reason that this year is special is because our prayers to You and Gaura Nitai were answered when we got the opportunity to go on this long-delayed pilgrimage to Sridham Mayapur. When we got there we couldn’t believe that we are on that holy land. Seeing the countless devotees was an amazing inspiration. Connecting with some of the residents of Sridham Mayapur and hearing their stories and realizations was an unbelievable experience. Seeing the TOVP structure in person, it was so majestic and awe inspiring. We celebrated Sri Narasimha Chathurdasi in the holy land.

We went there in May and so it was quite hot. Yes, you had advised us of that. We are praying to You and Gaura Nitai to give us another opportunity to go to Mayapur and Vrndavan.

In the meantime, I beg for Your mercy so that I can chant with all my heart and be motivated to do more service, so that I can make some spiritual advancement.

All glories to You, Gurudev, on this auspicious Vyasa Puja day. We pray to Radha Kalachandji for Your good health, so that You can continue Your tireless worldwide preaching mission, as Your loving service to Srila Prabhupada, for many more decades.

As an ignorant devotee, I must have committed many offences in writing this offering. I beg Your forgiveness for any offences I may have committed.

Your insignificant aspiring servant,
Rupamrita-sindhu das
Dallas, Texas
Oct 8, 2024

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I wanted to express my gratitude to you for the opportunity to do direct service to you by cooking. I am grateful for this service because this has been my main service to you the last few years.

I like a lot other services too like preaching, book distribution and others. But cooking has been the service to keep me closer to you and Krishna. Has being my anchor to keep my devotional life and inspiration stronger.

It is always inspiring and uplifting to hear about you, about your preaching and about other devotees realisations about you. So your Vyasa Puya is the most inspiring day for me to try to be a better devotee and do more and better.

Thank you for being my spiritual father and inspire me to be closer to Lord Krishna.

Your eternal daughter
Sammohini Devi Dasi

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet.

All glories to you on your divine appearance day.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!


In the Fourth Canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, we hear about the great Dhruva Maharaj, who left home at a young age, determined to seek the favor of the Lord. Through his intense austerity, standing on one leg, he exerted such a force that the entire universe felt the weight of his devotional service. All the demigods, along with the entire cosmos, could feel this heaviness. In one of his purports, Srila Prabhupada highlights the significance of this:

“It clearly indicates that a devotee, by his personal devotional service, can influence all the people of the whole world to become devotees of the Lord. If there is only one pure devotee in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can change the total consciousness of the world into Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Gurudev, you are living proof of this profound statement. Through your unwavering devotion to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna, you have inspired and elevated the consciousness of countless souls across the world. Your purity, dedication, and compassion have touched hearts far and wide, planting seeds of Krishna consciousness in so many lives.

Your tireless service is an ocean of compassion that never dries up. I’ve witnessed, especially during your visits to the Loft, how selflessly you give yourself to others. Whether it is late in the evening, after a long journey, or even when you look physically exhausted, you continue seeing guests with the same energy and enthusiasm. It is clear that when you speak of Krishna and share His glories, you draw strength directly from that divine connection, transcending any personal discomfort or fatigue.

Often times you continue seeing guests until 9pm, always eager to share the joy of Krishna consciousness. This compassion exemplifies the mood of a true Vaishnava, who is willing to forget bodily needs in their eagerness to help others awaken to their eternal relationship with Krishna. It reminds me of how Srila Prabhupada tirelessly preached and traveled for Krishna’s mission, and in you, Gurudev, we see that same undying spirit of service.

In the Fourth Canto, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vasudeva, appeared before Dhruva Maharaj, Dhruva, with his heart fully satisfied, expressed:

“I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead, I have found the most valuable jewel. Therefore, I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from You.”

Gurudev, this sentiment resonates deeply within me as well. Before meeting you, I was searching for fleeting happiness and pleasure in the distractions and illusory promises of the material world. But by your grace, you have given me the most priceless jewel—the path of devotional service to Krishna. You have shown me that there is nothing in this material realm that compares to the joy of serving the Lord and His devotees.

You have opened my eyes to the true purpose of life. I no longer seek happiness in external, temporary things; instead, I have found fulfillment in the treasure of Bhakti. My only desire now is to remain forever in the dust of your lotus feet, serving you and advancing on the path of Krishna consciousness by your mercy.

I humbly beg you to forgive me for all my shortcomings, offenses, and weaknesses, and I pray that by your grace, I may always remain fixed on this path of devotion. May I never lose sight of the mission you have so kindly given me, and may I continue to grow in my service to you, to Srila Prabhupada, and to Lord Krishna.

Your eternally grateful servant,
Sankarsana Rama Das

Nama Om Visnu Padaya
Krsna-presthaya Bhutale
Srimate Devamrta Swami Iti namine

I offer my respectful obeisances to Srimati Devamrta Swami, who is very dear to Lord Krsna on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

Pracare purva-daksyam ca
Bhaktacara-pravinata
Pararthatapi karunyam
Yasya sarve ca te namah

Obeisances to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching, competence in Vaisnava dealings, selflessness and compassion.

Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Another year, and here I am short of words to glorify your magnanimous personality on this auspicious day of your appearance. Some years ago, when I was still having trouble sorting out my Australian permanent residency, I naively presented my case in front of you with the hopes that you might be able to suggest something. Your reply: I am not a visa officer, I can't help you with an Australian Visa. However, if you want a permanent residency in Goloka Vrindavan, I can help you with that. At that moment it snapped to me, your role in our lives is to not provide material solutions but to help us with our spiritual upliftment and help us grow in our journey towards Krsna. Over the years I have seen you treated me in ways that may apparently seem indifferent. However, with maturity I have come to realise that those actions were to help me grow as a person. I am still struggling with many aspects of my Krsna Consciousness but your words and your personal life actions still give me hope that I can one day cross the ocean of material existence. You have mentioned many times in your class that we all have the ticket but we need to make the effort to make it to the boarding gate. On this day I pray again that I can get the strength to put my act together and work my way to the boarding gates of the Vaikuntha airways!

Thank you for always encouraging me despite my slack, and finding simple ways to engage me in Mahaprabhu’s preaching movement.

Your servant,
Sattva-tanu das

Hare Krishna dearest Gurudeva,
Please accept my heartfelt obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance in this world!

Standing on the shore of your glories, how can I begin to fathom the depth of your ocean-like transcendental qualities?

How can I begin to thank you- the one who literally saved my life, resuscitated me from a drowning state and gave me life? Not just that, but you gifted me such a rich, auspicious and extraordinary life of service in the Sankirtana mission, directly under your lotus-like glance and personal care. How can I begin to thank you for that?

Gurudeva, for all you are and all you’ve given me, words cannot express my gratitude sufficiently. I pray that my service this day and every day can be accepted as the real token of my offering of thankfulness to you. I am currently neck-deep in the ocean of devotional service as I am trying to juggle all of the different logistics, communications and arrangements for our global book mission for you happening in 4 days. So far we have about 140 of your disciples and well-wishers registered to partake and to coordinate around the world. There is so much to do and so much opportunity to absorb my mind, heart and intelligence in the Sankirtana movement!
About 9.5 years ago you sent me a very powerful text and voice message, after I had emailed you about the day we first distributed your new Hiding in Unnatural Happiness books. The last part of your message keeps arising in my consciousness during this yajna and progressively manifests into realisation as I try to deepen my attachment to your instructions. You spoke in a grave and slow voice and I still remember these words so clearly as though I heard them yesterday… “The more you immerse yourself in the Sankirtana ocean, the happier you’ll be and the happier everyone else can be in the world.” So simple, yet so powerful and true. At the time I couldn’t understand how these words would shape the direction of my life. Amidst the waves of preparation and busyness for your book mission, I took my beads down to the waterfront last night and took some time to chant, write and reflect on your glories.

I was reflecting on how it came to be that I have the chance to even be in contact with, to be even splashed by the waves of Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtana movement, what to speak of having been given full facility by you to dive deep and immerse myself in that ocean. Before you entered my life, I was drowning in the inauspicious waves of the bhava-sindu, the ocean of material existence, desperately grasping for air in hollow hopes of material fulfillment and purpose.
Srila Prabhupada expressed the struggle of the poor soul perfectly in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.53. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has therefore sung:
(miche) māyāra vaśe, yāccha bhese',
khāccha hābuḍubu, bhāi
“My dear brothers, you are being carried away by the waves of material energy and are suffering many miserable conditions. Sometimes you are drowning in the waves of material nature, and sometimes you are tossed like a swimmer struggling in the ocean.”

Amidst this ocean, I could sense there must be something deeper, but I was groping in the darkness to find a clue amidst the chaos. Sincerely wanting to help a hurting world I cast empty cries to no avail and kept struggling to find what I was looking for- only to be smashed by the waves against the jagged rocks of Kali Yuga exploitation. I would wash up on the shore of disappointment and resignation, only to throw myself back into the waves with persistent hope against hope. But you sensed my struggle, you heard my cries, you personally reached your loving hand and pulled me out of this ocean. You cast the rope of your instructions and mercifully rescued me, resuscitated me and threw me headfirst into the Sankirtana ocean and over the years have showered me with lifetimes of encouragement, direction and affection. You are my hero Gurudeva!!!

As you tirelessly traverse the globe, it is amazing to consider the depths of your spiritual compassion. I am in awe observing the breadth of your empowered intelligence for how you are able to rescue so many souls and expertly redirect them perfectly for Krishna’s pleasure. “The expert spiritual master knows well how to engage his disciple’s energy in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and thus he engages a devotee in a specific devotional service according to his special tendency.” (CC Adi 1.35 purport)

I remember our first meeting and how you were intensely probing me about what I want to do with my life. As I expressed my desire to help the world, you asked why I thought I could help the world. “What can you offer? What makes you think you can make a change?” I was taken aback- “I’m studying Development Studies and Cultural Anthropology” I proudly replied. You were persistent “And how many students in your class? 300? Why do you think you can be the one to make a difference? How can you even help? What will you do?” I didn’t know what to say. You went on to elaborately explain that material welfare work is futile and that if I really want to help the world I need to get spiritual knowledge and share that with others. I remember walking home after that with Kunja (Giselle at the time) and saying “I thought monks were meant to be gentle.” I felt so shocked and somewhat deflated, because you didn’t puff me up with false hope like everyone else. But at the same time I felt a deep sense of clarity and I knew that you were perfectly right. I felt that you were the first person I had ever met who knew the truth and was speaking directly to and wanting the best for me- as a soul. Little did I know that your words that night would be the spark to ignite my spiritual life and my desire to increasingly give myself to the book distribution service. I had no idea at the time how much happiness, depth, satisfaction, full absorption and peace would be uncovered through being gifted this sacred service by you. “People who were leading confused, chaotic lives are now feeling transcendental happiness. They are finding peace in saṅkīrtana, and therefore they are acknowledging the supreme benefit of this movement. This is the blessing of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” (CC Adi 9.40) Since day one, your instructions to gain and share spiritual knowledge have always been a steady thread of direction in my spiritual life- giving me a very sweet, deep shelter and connection with you through the Sankirtana movement - for which I am so grateful to you for. I want to take more responsibility for carrying the sankirtana mission, as this service has carried me and given me such shelter through all the waves of my devotional life- wherever I travel to and whatever I go through I always know I can take shelter of Sankirtana and feel your personal mercy. I am so blessed to have journals and journals worth of instructions that I have received from you in person, from phone calls, emails, whatsapp messages and classes- which are my most valuable treasures and sustain my life and give me daily inspiration, nourishment, strength, encouragement and clarity. Even just reading a few of these personal gems makes me feel overwhelmed at the depth of your care and profound presence in my life.

I clearly remember our second meeting when I had just bought my Srimad Bhagavatam set and you wrote in my first canto. “To lively Liv, use all your liveliness for Krishna’s pleasure. Your well-wisher, Devamrita Swami.” I didn’t see what you had written at the time, and after you left I sat down and opened my first canto. Reading your words over and over warm tears flooded my cheeks as I felt the depth of your care as my genuine well-wisher and spiritual father. I felt that embedded within this instruction was such wealth that I could apply through every stage of my life- to use everything- mind, body, words, all my energy and abilities for the Lord. Over the years I am progressively feeling the freedom of how fortunate we are to be in a situation given by you that we can literally use EVERYTHING for the service of Krishna. On that night I knew if I could just cling tightly to whatever you tell me and embroider your words of instructions in my heart that my life can be perfect. You are an ocean of mercy and you give us perfect direction, perfect empowerment and perfect facility to be able to fully carry out your instructions!!! Plus you give us the perfect example of how to be fully immersed in the Sankirtana ocean and how to give every fibre of your being and every beat of your heart to the instructions of your spiritual master. Just even thinking of your example gives me so much strength and inspiration Gurudeva!

You are so dynamic, blissful and inspiring in the way you serve Lord Caitanya and are always thinking of new and exciting ways to execute Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and expand his movement. I always think of you and your glorious selfless sacrifice and dedication to the Sankirtana movement when I read this section in Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Srila Narottama Das Thakura’s Savarana-sri-gaura-mahima where he writes:
“Lord Caitanya’s distribution of this love of God is compared with an ocean (rasa-arnava). What kind of ocean? Not the salty ocean that one cannot taste. The water of this ocean is so nice that if one drinks even one drop,he will like it more and more. It is not ordinary ocean water of which one cannot taste even a drop. Therefore it
is called rasarnava. In this ocean there are different waves; an ocean does not stand still, for it is not impersonal or void. And as the ocean is always dancing with waves, similarly the ocean of transcendental love of Krishna as introduced by Lord Caitanya has constant waves, constant sound. One has to dive deep into that ocean. If one knows the secret and says, "Let me dive deep into the ocean of the transcendental loving movement introduced by Lord Caitanya," he immediately becomes one of the confidential devotees of Radha and Krishna.”
You are certainly a pure and empowered servant of the Lord, sent here to save us and simply seeing the way that you dive so deep in this sankirtana ocean infuses me with a drop of your enthusiasm to want to follow your divine example. I remember the day after an end of year marathon, I was feeling a bit deflated from a disturbing situation and was quite exhausted, when out of the blue you messaged me. “Your book-distribution enthusiasm is life-giving for me.” I was taken aback with emotion and gained the profound realisation that anything that we have in devotional service is simply a reflection of your ocean-like qualities. You are so enthusiastic to please Lord Caitanya, which splashes onto me and inspires me to try to make a meaningful contribution to the sankirtana movement, riding in your transcendental wake. Trying to organise your book mission each year shows me your power of how you have instilled your sankirtana spirit of giving Krishna to others into all of your disciples- in every part of the world- which is amazing! I have faith that if I can simply cling to your lotus feet and fix my mind on your mission, then I may be able to dive progressively deeper and make this my life and soul.

Your mercy is all we are made of and anything we can do is simply give back what you have given us. Just like we offer Ganges water back to Mother Ganges, I pray that I can use everything that you have given me for your pleasure and to assist you in your wonderful service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. In May this year I had arranged an opportunity for you to join our book table in the city, but on the Saturday I sent you a message of where the table was and you replied a sweet voice message, encouraging me and apologizing that unfortunately you can’t come because you had no physical stamina that day due to walking to Bhakti Lounge for the program, walking back to your residence only to find your servant had forgotten the keys, so then past nine pm you had to walk all the way back to Bhakti Lounge again. “Ahh austerities, Hare Krishna,’ you sighed. That day on the book table was so potent knowing that you would have been there if you could and I gained profound realisation of how in every service, we are simply doing it on behalf of you, our spiritual master. I reflected that if you could, you would have been there and I thought that if you were physically on the street how enthusiastically and with such compassion you would be stopping every person and preaching so expertly- honouring every living being and giving them the best chance to become closer to Krishna. So I thought, since you couldn’t be there that day, I needed to try and be an effective instrument in your hands to fulfill your desires, which are Srila Prabhupada’s and Lord Caitanya’s desires. You have such a broad vision and are overflowing with compassion and unlimited desires inherited through parampara for how to bring all the living entities back to Krishna. Our true and only value is to try and be an instrument of your compassion and assist you in your glorious service- to be your limbs. Even though I am undeserving of such an opportunity, please help me be a useful, reliable and steady servant of your desires. Please help me overcome selfishness so I can give my life to you and kindly help me learn to swim in the flood of devotional service.

I was reflecting that early next year will mark 10 years from when I first gained your mercy and entered the association of devotees. That is one third of my life technically, but I truly feel that that actually marks the beginning of my real life. As without you I had no life, I had no meaning, no sense of direction or genuine purpose, no shelter for my soul, no mission for my mind, no happiness for my heart- nothing. You are so merciful- you give us everything! I can’t even conceive how much you sacrifice to give us so much- even considering your mercy brings tears to my eyes in gratitude. I have gradually been realising over these past nearly ten years that this bhakti process is a progressive uncovering and revelation of the value of what our spiritual master has gifted us. Like a child with a diamond, from the beginning you’ve given us the rarest gift of devotional service, the Holy Name and transcendental literature.
You recently explained that ‘Devotional service is Krishna’s internal energy and Krishna’s name is the same as Krishna so by taking shelter of Krishna’s Name,your service becomes more empowered- becomes more Krishna potent. You become more aware that this is Krishna’s internal energy. As you become more Krishna conscious you realise, this is no ordinary activity- this is devotional service to Krishna.” Gurudeva, your chanting must be so deep as your service is so empowered. You chant japa so gently and sweetly, then go out so boldly preaching and spreading Krishna’s glories all over the world! Please allow me to always value the gems you have given us from the depths of the ocean of devotion and never take them for granted.

In a recent conversation with you I was expressing how I want to give more to the Sankirtana movement and asking you how you want to use me best. You quickly cut in and said “that’s always been you, that’s your life and soul!” I was quite taken aback and responded. “By your mercy- I am trying.” Sitting before you I felt overwhelmed to consider how this has become my life- being under such close and personal shelter of a pure devotee, having such a rare opportunity to engage in such an auspicious activity of assisting you serving Srila Prabhupada and the Sankirtana movement! This is a far cry from what my life would have been if you had not divinely intervened! Earlier this year I had the fortune to visit the Holy Dham and one day I found myself sitting and chanting alone with Srila Prabhupada in his room at Radha Damodara Mandir. After having received the touch of Srila Rupa Goswami’s beads to my forehead, the tulsi leaf from Radha Damodara’s lotus feet on my tongue, Sanatana Goswami’s garland from his samadhi on my neck and the sand of the Yamuna on my feet- I sat with Srila Prabhupada in wonder at how I had received all of this great fortune and mercy. Sitting with Srila Prabhupada in the sacred place where years earlier he was writing his Srimad Bhagavatam, there I was from the other side of the world, having had spent the summer running around New Zealand carparks distributing his books over fifty years later. I marvelled at how such an auspicious life had come upon me. This is all due to your mercy Gurudeva- because you are so dear to Srila Prabhupada and by dint of your glories- all of these great masters take some notice of who you are keeping under your loving glance- such as this tiny insignificant fool as myself. By dint of me trying to tie myself to your lotus feet, you allow me access to the mercy of the whole parampara of which I am eternally indebted to you for and without such mercy there would be no way I would still be here in the association of devotees and allowed to render some service for the Sankirtana movement. Thank you Gurudeva- although I am still so new on this path and my vision is bitten by the serpent of pride and material perception I must offer repeated obeisances and sincerely thank you for the value of what you have given, even though I can only perceive a small glimpse of the unlimited ocean of what must be available.

Happy appearance day Gurudeva!
Aspiring to become your worthy servant,
Saumya-mayi devi dasi.

Dear Guru Maharaja

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you, my eternal shelter.

Recently I was fortunate to attend your lecture to a group of Indian youth in Melbourne. Your whole lecture was expertly layered with statistics about Australia’s anxiety age group, humor tailored to the audience's culture and reference to the teachings of Krishna to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita. Your message was clear, articulated and delivered with compassion.“I appeal to you all to take this knowledge of Krishna consciousness seriously”, you concluded. Your use of the word ‘appeal’ was echoing in my mind. Your appeal is completely selfless unlike that of politicians or mundane protesters seeking self-centered interests ; you want us, conditioned souls, to end our miseries and to be happy in Krsna’s service. Your message surcharged with purity inspires and transforms the audience's hearts.

As I was in awe of your powerful presentation, I was reminded of my first meeting with you twenty years ago. A few days after attending a Sunday feast talk, I was invited to a seminar with a small group of 10-15 guests. You first asked all participants to write down ‘Is your future inspiring? What &amp; How?’ and after collecting those notes back, you went through each answer to challenge and deconstruct everyone’s misconceptions about real happiness. When the seminar was over, my head was spinning with new insights into life and my heart was relieved that I had finally found a proper teacher - someone who is spiritually wise and would be willing to guide me.

Prior to meeting you, I sought answers from a catholic priest at a high school and a buddhist monk in Korea, attended a lecture of an Indian guru at my university ( although I dozed off half-way), but I could not find satisfaction in any of their presentations. Nor did I feel that they would care about my life anyways. On the other hand, you were extremely personal and reaching out to encourage me to take up a Bhakti process. And that it is only because of your care that I have been able to stay in my Bhakti despite many challenges in different phases of life.

Although I still struggle to take your shelter fully, I am grateful that you are always there for me, through thick and thin. Because of your guidance in my life and your exemplary practice as a vaisnava, I feel confident of the process of Bhakti and real love of devotional service. Thank you for giving me your shelter, Guru Maharaja.

Your servant and spiritual daughter,
Sevamrita Devi dasi

Hare Krishna dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my respectful obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.29.6, Śrī Uddhava said:

naivopayanty apacitiṁ kavayas taveśa
brahmāyuṣāpi kṛtam ṛddha-mudaḥ smarantaḥ
yo ’ntar bahis tanu-bhṛtām aśubhaṁ vidhunvann
ācārya-caittya-vapuṣā sva-gatiṁ vyanakti

O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science cannot fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahmā, for You appear in two features — externally as the ācārya and internally as the Supersoul — to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to You.

From this verse, we understand that your appearance in this world is not ordinary. If one considers the spiritual master an ordinary person, Padma Purāṇa condemns them to hell: "nārakī saḥ, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir". Your purpose in appearing in this world is identical to the Lord’s purpose — to guide us back to the spiritual world. Tirelessly, you travel the globe, making the sky your home, to fulfill this mission. Your travels are to stop our endless travel through the cycle of birth and death in different species of life. Even great transcendental poets, experts in spiritual science with the lifespan of Brahmā, cannot fully express their indebtedness to the Lord who appears as the spiritual master. What, then, can an insignificant servant like me express properly?

Every time I hear you speak increases my indebtedness to you. Hearing Srila Prabhupada and you are my favorite activity. By the mercy of internet, one of its few blessings, we could able to hear you from any corner of the world. Recently I was hearing a lecture you gave at LA on " Society's illusion and real solutions", what really struck me is your explanation of proper leadership citing Maharaja Gaya's 4 principles of leadership, poṣaṇa, prīṇana, upalālana and anuśāsana. In your lectures you give different strokes to different folks with deep, thoroughly experienced and realized knowledge. Therefore, every word you speak is a Vedic conclusion. We don't need any second thought or opinion on it. There is no other auspicious path than hearing from you and that awards fearlessness who heard with rapt attention. I love your Chaitanya caritamrita narrations, it feels like we are watching it live.

In Srimad Bhagavatm 2.5.9 purport Srila Prabhupada writes, "The pure devotees are not only satisfied by knowing everything about the Lord, but are also eager to broadcast the information to others, for they want to see that the glories of the Lord are known to everyone. Thus the devotee feels satisfied when such an opportunity is offered to him. This is the basic principle of missionary activities." You had taken so much risk, even life threatening ones, to broadcast the glories of the Lord.

This year, just before Gaura Purnima, you were here in Melbourne for a cruise and a program at Melbourne Uni. I had the good fortune to personally assist you at the house. I witnessed how you pushed yourself to preach, even though your health was not in the best condition. After the cruise, you didn’t even have enough energy to climb the stairs. You were so wobbly and had hardly eaten anything the whole day. On top of that, I was inattentive in my service. You mercifully chastised me, for which I am eternally grateful. By correcting me, you have accepted me as your servant. The next morning, you blessed me with a bead bag. Guru Maharaja, you are a very kind father to all of your disciples, caring for us deeply. You often inquire about the welfare of various devotees, especially if they have not come to see you.

On your auspicious appearance day, I pray for intelligence and maturity in my service to your lotus feet. I also pray that all my energy, free will, and words are engaged in your service. I beg for at least a trace of taste in chanting the holy names of the Lord. I pray for unwavering and undivided love and attachment to your lotus feet and to Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha Vallabha, Gaura Nitai, and Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra.

Your obedient servant,
Sevya Bhagavan dasa

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
We thank you so much for your kind blessings and taking us into your shelter.
After coming under your shelter our chanting and sadhana has improved.
We feel empowered by you to be able to commit to our daily chanting and hearing.
Please bless us such that we are enabled to serve you and please yourself and Prabhupada with our insgnificant services.

your insignificant servants,
Shashi Bhushan (accountant from Melbourne)
and Ratna Gupta

Nama om Visnu paydaya Krishna prestaya bhutale Srimate Devamrita Swamin iti namine.

Dearmost Gurudeva!
Only after meeting you I understood and experienced what is real love. I couldn't recognize then what you are trying to give me, like a child receiving a diamond necklace. I could not even fully understand your accent or high level English. I was so drawn to you like no other person in my life. I was attracted to your effulgence, humor, wisdom, voice, dance, the way you dress and everything about you. I just wanted to be around you and keep staring at you not understanding that you are emanating Krishna Prema. At that time, bhakta Wade had printed so many big color posters of you. I placed them everywhere in my flat.&nbsp;

Whatever we thought was love &nbsp;was shattered when I first heard you reading Krishna book. You gave the example of how when the Gopi's kissed Krishna their artistic skills and service increased many fold, but how many millions of germs humans exchange in the name of love you asked.
In one class at loft on Tory street you explained how Maya is so strong that even in abominable conditions we see some potential happiness and beauty. You practically pointed out one example of a Japanese man and Samoan woman that used to attend our events. You said, 'I wonder what they see in each other'. Everyone listening laughed and laughed. That was the first time I was hearing such powerful wisdom in the Wild West. In contrast to the philosophy at the students at the uni of 'do whatever you want man.'

Once when I was expressing my gratitude for showering me with so much mercy and love you wrote back saying,
"Love to read Srila Prabhupada's books and love to distribute them."

I printed the email and had it on my locker which I would read every day before going to airport sankirtan. Those words shaped my beginning days. Thank you for teaching us how to be generous and broad minded.&nbsp;
A most important lesson was when we, god siblings and I, started reading Srila Prabhupada's books. You warned us not to come to any conclusions quickly while encouraging us to first read all the books. Thus making it possible to see that there is none other like Prabhupada's devotional ecstasies.

As an expert and qualified surgeon you know how to cut to cure someone's disease at the root. &nbsp;
No one wants to lye under the blade of an amateur surgeon.
You are always teaching us how to present Krishna conciousness through your personal example, examples from your younger days to present, on how not to over dose people and be patient with them.

You have no false ego and possess only genuine love and purity in your outreach.&nbsp;
You rid the fear of spiritual personality and fear of samsara.
All your words are perfect. If we just follow then everything will be fine.&nbsp;

You have explained that it's a sign of intelligence to ask questions and search until we come across a &nbsp;bonafide path, and then we have to surrender.&nbsp;
So many meet you and hear from you and go away, but Paramatma kept urging me to take shelter of you and that this is my last chance.
What are the chances a pure devotee like you wandering this temporary world and I happened to meet you in an obscure place (Tory st).

What would have become of me if I didn't meet you or if you would have given up on me?

Where can we find a friend and guide like you Gurudeva that's unaffected by the qualities of the material world.

You get me. You understand my existential crisis, and you show extra mercy whenever I most need it to bring me back to my senses and back to basics.&nbsp;
You are very compassionate at the same time very straight forward.
I need you in my life always gurudeva.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit said, "I have now achieved the purpose of my life, because a great and merciful soul like you has shown such kindness to me. You have personally spoken to me this narration of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who is without beginning or end."

Gurudeva, in this age of Kali it's hard to find a self realized person what to speak of a Krishna realized Paramahamsa like you ?
Meeting your sister/our god sister Lila Kishori Mataji was the highlight of my recent Gita Nagari visit. Kumari and I were hearing from her about your glories. It was so ecstatic.&nbsp;

During your last visit to Atlanta I was super excited and constantly praying to make your trip comfortable. Of course, I lost the parking ticket on an Ekadasi day and couldn't get out of the parking lot. Which then delayed your lunch by an hour. I couldn't take you home in my car, but luckily Radhasarana was there with her car so we left in that car. I was feeling so bad. You kindly, gently and in a relaxed way said, 'all this happened so I can travel in Radhasarana's car.'
You don't waste a good crisis while encouraging everyone in all circumstances. On the other hand, so many of us slow down and become discouraged if things don't go our way.

You are fired up in your 70's following your Gurudeva's footsteps.
You are more tolerant than a tree because unlike trees you can protest but don't.

I remember you had a 2 hour meeting with HH Bhakti Vikasha Maharaj at Krishna life. It was notable how on the drive back you only asked what are my future plans for service. You didn't share a word about your meeting with Maharaj knowing I'm unqualified, and it's not relevant for my services.
You are always reminding us to focus on our services and not worry about what others are doing.

Being so grave and controlled you don't talk during morning walks even though you are overflowing with realizations.&nbsp;

During your last Atlanta visit, it was very touching how personal and grateful you were &nbsp;remembering my mother while honoring rasam I made from her recipe.&nbsp;

You invited a small group of devotees to read CC. It was wonderful to witness your realizations and taste for Caitanya lila . When it was my turn to read I skipped the Bengali and read only the English. You asked me to read the Bengali. I have never read in front of you, and it was wonderful to read in your association and be gently corrected.&nbsp;

It is amazing to witness your love for Radha Damodara, HH Bhakti Tirtha swami , Gita Nagari dham, and how you pray and not give up gurus mission just because something seems difficult. You teach us by example that we are duty bound to try to do something.

Reminds me of Srila prabhupads prayer.' How can I do, how can I do?'
Your faith in the holy name, in Srila Prabhupada and your humility is so deep. In just a few words you expressed your heart in this years offering to Srila prabhupad so wonderfully.

Srila Bhakti Siddhantha said :
“If I throw a particle of dust from the pollen of the lotus feet of my Gurudeva, then millions of people of this world will be delivered. There is no scholarship nor any good concept in the fourteen worlds that is heavier than a particle of dust from the lotus feet of my Gurudeva."
A true disciple like you has this kind of firm faith and determination.

You know something about everything, and everything about something. You know us more than we know ourselves.
Recently you encouraged me to do more out reach and humbled me at the same time when I presented to you that I'm not being successful in the restaurant business. You explained, "you are a people person no business man.- Be a magnet for Krishna." I said yes Gurudev my wife is even worse at business. Without skipping a beat you responded,'I can't imagine someone worse than you.'

You repeatedly teach us Prabhupada is not of this world, and
Krishna's pastimes have no tinge of matter.
You guide us in the difference between Mathura, Dwarka and Vrindavan while taking us deeply into Vrindavan pastimes (through the mercy of Lord Caitanya).
Nityam bhagavatha sevaya.
Especially by your humor, the examples you give, and the way you present the philosophy these topics become etched in our hearts and mind. Always practically helping me every moment as I move through life .

Recently, Vedasar prabhu and I were struggling to introduce your book Searching for Vedic India at the Atlanta Sunday feast. Your saving interjection was-"you can read all about what the Britishers have done to Bharata". So many came forward to buy the book.

In Srimad Bhagavatam class you gave an example of your father. Although most qualified, he was not able to get into the Air Force. Then it turns out that everyone who was enlisted at that time got killed by the Germans. When things go wrong I remember this example of how your father was superficially not successful joining the Air Force, but instead was an instrument to bring you into this world to save us all.

I try to remember the practical example you gave of family life in how to cooperate with each other amidst disagreements for a greater cause.&nbsp;

My fervent prayer is that I will someday please your heart and do something significant and wonderful for the sankirtan movement.
As you told us, 'a devotee is as good as his/her japa.'
I'm trying to give Japa the pride of place in my day. By your mercy one day I may develop some taste as well.

Once I asked a question about Srimati Radharani in Sydney temple Sunday feast. Your eye-opening response was by asking me how is my health and if I'm exercising.&nbsp;

I'm trying to take care of my health eating carefully, exercising, chanting my rounds, going on books 5-6 days a week for your pleasure.&nbsp;
By your mercy I can consolidate everything, give up my rebellious nature and render direct service to one of your dear projects in the near future Gurudeva.
Thank you Gurudeva for everything.&nbsp;

Yhs

Shastra Krit Das
🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️ 4️⃣🦜-Dhanya wanted to send these emojis as her offering.

Dear Devamrita Swami.
Please accept my humble obeisances on this most auspicious day of your appearance.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to you and your preaching and serving your spiritual master. The more I hear and learn about your preaching and life's efforts the more it amazes me. You've dedicated everything to serving Srila Prabhupada's mission in delivering the western world from material frustrations. I've found the gravity and conviction in which you preach with to be most inspiring.

Just over a year and a half ago I wondered into your centre in Wellington. (Bhakti lounge) I was completely bewildered by the material energy and surely on my way to a hellish condition. It was at Bhakti lounge that I was introduced to the Maha Mantra and the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness.

I have situated myself in this community of what feels like an Oasis in a desert of madness. As the Maha Mantra begins it clean the copious amounts of filth from my mind, I find myself In moments of sobriety when I am overwhelmed by how indebted I am to the Parampara and Your Holiness. For if it were not for your mercy I would find myself forever lost in that desert.

Thank you for allowing me to take shelter from the storm of Kali Yuga and serve in Lord Chaitanya's glorious Sankirtan movement!


Your aspiring servant

Shaun

To my dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my deepest obeisances at your lotus feet. I hope you accept my humble attempt to express my heartfelt gratitude towards you, whose glories I cannot yet even begin to understand.

I shudder to think what was becoming of my life before I was graced with the association of your holiness and your most exalted disciples. As nicely stated by Prahlad Maharaj in 7th Canto:
“evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe
kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt
I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace.”

In my short period of life so far, I had managed to cast aside my upbringing as a pious Hindu boy, for a lifestyle of an atheistic rascal. Even though deep down, I wanted to change, I failed again and again.
But somehow your association has changed me from a career minded &amp; career blinded sense-enjoyer to an aspiring brahmacari.

We sing in our daily prayers, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto&nbsp;’pi.
By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Prabhupada comments in the 8th canto: “The blessings of the spiritual master are more powerful than one’s personal endeavor for such advancement.”

Therefore I consider the mercy you have bestowed upon me only real success in my life, even though I do not understand what I did to deserve this.
The more I hear of your glories, the more I am convinced that you are someone who must be very dear to Srila Prabhupada &amp; Krishna.

Someone who has repeatedly risked their life to spread Krishna Consciousness to some of the most remote &amp; dangerous parts of the world.
Someone who for a period of his life, spending every waking hour of his day serving Prabhupada’s great mission to print the Caitanya Caritamrita.
Someone who has sacrificed their safety and material comfort at an advanced age to incessantly travel to all four corners of the world to propagate Lord Caitanya’s movement.
And yet you are also someone who patiently stands at the airport baggage claim, while I awkwardly fumble around with his bags, and accepts whatever meagre service I attempt to render him.

My dearest Gurudeva, I am already eternally indebted to you for what you have done for me. I hope there will be one day I can serve you with just a shred of the devotion you have for your own guru &amp; Krishna. Only after that day will I be able to peacefully leave this body.

Your Aspiring Servant
Shivam

Hare Krishna Srila Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisance unto your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.


As Srila Prabhupada said Ācāryopāsanam: one should worship an ācārya, a spiritual master who knows things as they are. This statement is so true for you srila guru maharaj. I was confused when my initiation got delayed. But perhaps as you know things as they are you somehow made me calm and you pacified me. It was Krishna's mercy and by your mercy somehow I got the official entry into the parampara.

Srila Gurudeva you gave so much emphasis on book distribution and you have been a sankirtan warrior. So just to please you from Iskcon New Town Kolkata we have started monthly sankirtan festival. We are going out once in a month and we are trying to give Srila Prabhupada's mercy to every one.

Over the years I have seen your dependence on Srila Prabhupada's books. You have always said that Srila Prabhupada's purport are his transcendental ecstasy. I am trying my best to live my life on Srila Prabhupada's purport.

Srila Gurudeva we are in that juncture of our devotional life where we see that many Srila Prabhupada's disciples are leaving us. It gives us nightmare to even think of a life without you. We also know the hard inevitable truth but somehow we feel we have so much to learn from you more. I still need to learn so many nuances of devotion from you.


Srila Gurudeva the day you told me that " my relationship with you is eternal even without a formality of an initiation " I actually felt the importance of initiation. I felt how a loving father actually cares for his son.

I pray to Krishna that I may continue get your valuable association through vani and vapu. I pray to Gauranga that may I develop the dependence on Srila Prabhupada's purport.

On the auspicious occasion of your appearance day Srila Gurudeva if possible forgive me the knowingly and unknowingly offenses I have committed unto your lotus feet.

Your aspiring servant
Siddha Mantra Das

Hare Krishna Gurudev,
Dandavat Pranams on your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I remember the day I first met you on a retreat in 2021. I found your speech so inspiring that I never missed your sessions and retreats since.
You were so merciful to allow me to meet you in person during the Darshan time. I am extremely thankful to you for advicing me on both spiritual and material side of things. It was such a divine experience I could never forget. Your guidance gave me so much determination and after a year when I look back, I can't believe how much I have progressed in my spiritual journey, all thanks to you Gurudeva.

Whenever I miss you, I search for your lectures online or talk to Gopa Vrindesa prabhu about you requesting for your whereabouts. I always take guidance from Gopa Vrindesa Prabhu and I believe it is coming from you.

Recently I came to know about your role in the development of Gita-Nagri which inspired me so much. It lead to my unwavering pledge to participate in the development of Melbourne farm for sustainable farming and living as much as I can. You lead me by example and I hope to seek your guidance if I get your mercy for Darshan again.

Thank you for trusting in me and giving me shelter. I still remember the day you said yes and I was lucky to get your blessings in person. Gurudev I really admire your knowledge in sastras and Srila Prabhupada books. Listening to your Bhagavatam Classes and other lectures motivates me to do more service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. I'm praying to get more guidance from you along this journey. It's been such a comfort to know I'm not alone and that i am guided at every step by you.

Praying to Krsna for your good health.
Seeking your blessing and prayers.

Your eternal servant
Singaraj Swaminathan

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to you.

Attempting to contemplate on your exceptional bhakti qualities, I inevitably feel overwhelmed at my inability to describe them, yet nonetheless I feel so fortunate to have such a qualified, humble and kind spiritual master as you.

Just as every single verse of Srimad Bhagavatam contains many meanings (prati-śloke prati-akṣare nānā artha kaya), your myriad devotional glories are truly multifaceted, like a radiant jewel which can be admired from many angles.

Amongst the distinctive Vaisnava ornaments you display is your sagacious, spiritually surcharged intelligence, which is coupled with your extraordinary humility and sweetness: a rare yet powerful combination.

In this Age of Kali, pride tends to accompany material intelligence as a fever accompanies an illness. As the adage goes: “even the pauper is proud of their penny”.

Yet, despite your great intelligence and distinguished material background, you are astonishingly humble and devoid of self-serving egotism, having surrendered at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada - just like Sanatana Goswami, who fell at the feet of Mahaprabhu, straw in mouth:

nīca jāti, nīca-saṅgī, patita adhama
kuviṣaya-kūpe paḍi’ goṅāinu janama!

“Sanātana Gosvāmī said, “I was born in a low family, and my associates are all low-class men. I myself am fallen and am the lowest of men. Indeed, I have passed my whole life fallen in the well of sinful materialism.” (CC Madhya 20.99)

Hearing one of your lectures from the early 2000s, I was astonished to hear you express a similar sentiment, how you truly felt that “going to Yale was my bad karma and it ruined my life”.

You reflected that at such a materialistic institution “they destroy your intelligence, and make you proud your intelligence is being destroyed”.

As your god-brothers described your background to Srila Prabhupada, you internally begged him “don’t listen to them Srila Prabhupada, I’m a fool who has wasted his life”.

Like the materially opulent Sanatana, you regretted an esteemed material background which would have left most people thoroughly intoxicated by pride and distinction.

You took wholehearted shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s books, taking a vrata to read nothing else, a vow you stringently kept until extraordinary circumstances during your extraordinary service behind the Iron Curtain forced you to keep abreast of current events.

And decades later you still travel the globe sharing the glorious ecstatic vibrations of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, expertly utilising your intelligence to deliver the bhakti medicine through your lectures, books and kirtans, as a true “sādhu-vaidya”.

Despite meeting so many disciples and aspirants around the globe, you deal with each of us with profound care and attention, speaking to our real selves and inspiring us to surrender to all-attractive, all-loving Krishna. You give us what we need to grow and know when to encourage us and when to correct us.

The responsibility you have taken on for guiding the spiritual lives of so many, for shaping and masterminding vibrant bhakti communities like the Bhakti Lounge, and for leading Prabhupada’s whole ISKCON society is so wonderful and is evidence of your empowerment by Mahāprabhu (kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana).

Yet despite your extraordinary empowerment and intelligence, I am always amazed at how you are so sweet, simple and pure; with a bhakti personality which couples such gravity with your unique blissful transcendental humour.

Thinking of your kirtans and lectures, particularly at our end of year festivals, it seems materially impossible that a person in their 70s could chant and dance in such great ecstasy as you and give such lively and potent lectures.

Gurudeva, in contemplating the vast ocean of your bhakti glories, I am awed by your brilliance yet also charmed by your humility and sweetness, as a bona-fide servant representative of the supremely powerful and sweet Sri Krishna.

Thank you for reaching into my small existence and offering me not only a lifeline, but a life of burgeoning bhakti opportunity.

I pray that I can develop real spiritual intelligence and personalism in service to you, and that my still obstinate self may become the kind of humble and capable servant you really deserve.

Praying for the spiritual strength to go beyond merely seeking a “comfortable life” and truly become an instrument of your compassion.

I remain forever chasing after you chanting “Krishna! Krishna!”.

Aspiring to serve you,
Śivānanda Sena das

Dear Gurudeva,

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

I would like to express my gratitude to you for everything you have done for me- and in particular, for giving my life true meaning.

My weekdays are largely spent working in the city, in an office. My colleagues are nice enough- some of them are driven by moral ideals of equity and justice. The institution I work for is nice enough- there is some sense of wanting to fight capitalist greed and corruption. However, as Srila Prabhupada said (SB 5.14.1), “there are many big cities all over the surface of the globe, and wherever one looks he sees the struggle for material existence”. Everyone is either struggling to find meaning or they’ve given up hope that there is any. They are just trying to make their lives a little more comfortable. And in that dry and unfulfilling endeavour, they are wasting their lives.

I’m so grateful that the ultimate cause I stand for is one with unlimited depth. While my colleagues have photos of their pets on their desks to provide them comfort, I can look at a photo of Sri Sri Radha Giridhari and feel assured and inspired. I’m grateful that you allowed me to become your disciple, that I can dedicate this life to serving you and trying to develop love for Krishna. Thankyou for welcoming me into Srila Prabhupada’s house, and for being a loving and patient spiritual father. Thankyou for encouraging me to read and to aspire to really understand. Thankyou for your example, leadership, and generosity in sharing Krishna bhakti. I want to do more for you Gurudeva, to please you and be of use to you. And although I am slow and stubborn, I feel fortunate to have this as my goal.

Your ever aspiring servant, and servant of your servants,
Smita-Kānti devi dasi

All glories to you Gurudeva on this auspicious day. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I often reflect on the first time I received your association. I had only recently started to regularly come to the Kirtan Sydney programs and after trying many dry, impersonalist paths, I was completely convinced that bhakti was for me. Despite this conviction, I still had one foot in my degraded lifestyle and I couldn't understand how to change this. I asked you this question and you said one word. Association. I knew what this ment and what I had to do. So, slowly, I took this one word and weaved it into my life. Very soon after, my life's trajectory was completely changed. When I realised that this was due to your expert guidance, I knew in my heart that you were my guru.
There are so many opportunities in life to go down a path that leads you away from Krsna, danger at every turn. If I'm ever in doubt about where I'm going, I meditate on your words and guidance, and I feel safe and secure with my decisions. Your lectures are a lifeline that I depend on.
I am incredibly grateful for all the sacrifices you have made in this lifetime to keep steering lost souls like me back on the path to Lord Caitanya's lotus feet. I'm in awe of your lifetime of service and aspire to achieve even a fraction of your realisations.
I am too simple and sentimental to really express the deep gratitude I have for you, for your efforts to save me, so this will have to do.
Always aspiring to be in your service,
Smitamrta Dasi.

Darest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila PRABHUPADA.
All glories to you, gurudeva.

Vyasa-puja day is our opportunity to appreciate and meditate on your qualities as our spiritual master, and that activity is naturally pleasing to Krishna.

On this vyas puja day I want to share something with you that when I took your darshan first time in whydham hare Krishna program back in 2021 that was my first time attending something for KC class. My family was facing so many problems that time because of our past mistakes and we were looking for something that help us to calm and connect each other again as husband and wife, then one day we were at indian grocery store doing shopping and after we finished shopping we met one mataji outside the store. She was distributing Bhagwatam and Bhagvat gita on that day and she asked us that do you have Bhagvat gita at your house ?and we said no. Then she asked us buy and she said it's good for us to read and for the kids as well. So we bought it and then she told us about the bhakti vriksha program and she said there is one program going on here at hoppers crossing on Friday and you can attend that and we attend it. That was first time when I saw you there. Because of we were new for this process so we didn't know that who you are and who is srila prabhupad. When we saw you first time I thought you are prabhupad. That day I still remember your face face was shining like star. I was completely convinced on that to join Krishna Conscious after listening your first lecture. After that we join bhakti vriksha and by Krishna mercy everything settled down so smoothly like never happened before.

Thank you so much gurudeva for accepting this fallen soul and giving me opportunity to serve you. I will never forget that day when I received confirmation that you accept me as your desciple. Thank you for taking me under your shelter. I
pray that I can please you with my service.

Your Servant,
Snehal Prajapati

nama om visnu-padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimati devamrita-swamin iti namine

pracare purva-daksyam ca bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my repeated obeisances at your lotus feet during this auspicious occasion of your appearance day.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3.22 states that:

tatra bhāgavatān dharmān
śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ
amāyayānuvṛttyā yais
tuṣyed ātmātma-do hariḥ

Accepting the bona fide spiritual master as one’s life and soul and worshipable deity, the disciple should learn from him the process of pure devotional service. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, the soul of all souls, is inclined to give Himself to His pure devotees. Therefore, the disciple should learn from the spiritual master to serve the Lord without duplicity and in such a faithful and favorable way that the Supreme Lord, being satisfied, will offer Himself to the faithful disciple.

Meditating on this verse, it tells me that you know the art of pure devotional service and are eager to share it with others, you do this as service to your beloved Spiritual Master and Lord Gauranga. Your mercy is flowing but how much it gets blocked on my side depends on my spiritual digestion (practice and attitude). To take advantage of your mercy, I must learn the process of pure devotional service directly from you, learn from you how to serve without duplicity - free of material goals. I recall asking you how does one increase one’s intensity in Krsna consciousness, you replied with full conviction - first give sacred time and sacred space for Hare Krsna japa, dealing with the mind comes later. I am making a concerted effort to rise early in the morning and do my japa at a fixed time at a fixed place. Before, I did not put much effort into my surroundings when chanting yet I wondered why is my japa so inattentive. I arrogantly believed that chanting japa amongst the noise, whenever, would be the test of my strength of mind and my spiritual maturity, basically practicing poorly in the name of high moral ground.
I recall you mentioning that over 90% of our advancement comes from good solid attentive japa. This tells me it's not just quantity that I need to increase when it comes to serving the Holy Names but also quality. I have become an expert at practicing poorly for many decades. Coming back to the grassroots is often downplayed due to complacency but it is these basics that helps us grow deeper. Thank you for reminding me what is really important.

You seem to always be there hovering over us and protecting us in the background, you also seem to know when to directly get in touch with us to make sure we are stable spiritually. Thank you for being a guiding father and mentor to us.

On behalf of your disciple and my late father, Sriman Giriraja Prabhu.

Your grateful servant,

Sri Goloka das

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories unto your divine lotus feet.

I've just got home from facilitating a men's living without violence group. The sessions, to a large extent, focus on the underlying causes and phenomena that may induce someone to behave violently, either psychologically or physically. There seems to be a common theme of deep pain, sadness, and unresolved suffering that fuels unhealthy aggressive behaviour; as they say “hurt people, hurt people”. Additionally, I have recently been reflecting upon my immediate family, my parents and elder brother. As I grow older I can see they are essentially suffering, caught in the ever entangling web of karma, their lives devoid of any real substantial direction and meaning. Yes, in this material world, those devoid of bhakti are fundamentally suffering. Without the endeavour to be Krishna conscious life is but a foolish attempt to grasp shadows. By your grace, this realisation has recently become more vivid.

I am eternally blessed and grateful for your shelter. I am, and will be forever beholden to the timeless message of the Bhāgavata that drips like honey from your lotus mouth into my ears that then simultaneously distils my murky intelligence and nourishes the creeper of devotion within my heart. Without your mercy I also would be fundamentally suffering in this inconceivably dark age of Kali. Perhaps in a position not much different from the men in the group I facilitate. Only Krishna knows the situation I would have been in. Regardless, you saved me. I am eternally indebted to you. I pray that I may be of use to you and that I can sincerely please you.

Your servant Sri Jiva Charan das.

Hare Krishna, dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All glories to you on this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasapuja celebration.

SB 6.16.6, Purport: … In the transmigration of the soul through different bodies, everyone, in every form of life - be it human, animal, tree or demigod - gets a father and mother. This is not very difficult. The difficulty is to obtain a bona fide spiritual master and Krishna. Therefore, the duty of a human being is to capture the opportunity to come in touch with Krishna’s representative, the bona fide spiritual master. Under the guidance of the spiritual master, the spiritual father, one can return home, back to Godhead.

Today, as every day, I meditate upon you as a kind and loving father who has always selflessly gone well beyond the call of duty in helping your dependents to navigate a path through this life of darkest illusion, danger and Maya.

You are always adorned with all jewel like Vaisnava qualities in full, although I aspire to glorify only a very small aspect of two of these qualities, namely, your complete embodiment of selflessness and your pure compassion as a loving father and spiritual master.

In 2005, you arranged for me to get married.

Problem number one was that I didn’t have an astrological birth chart and only a vague estimation of the time I was born. You painstakingly grilled me for any key life details, of which I struggled to remember anything significant. After listing whatever insignificant events I could recall, you tolerantly reminded me to include the date of my initiation!

Once this task was complete, step 2 was to find someone. I remember you telling me that just because you were going to suggest someone, it didn’t mean this suggestion had dropped from Vaikuntha, and that I had to make this decision for myself. You also mentioned that you couldn’t promise my husband would be like Yudhistra Maharaja or that my children would be like Prahlad Maharaja, but I could always be Krishna Conscious! Fortified and terrified by the reality of these instructions, after some months, you kindly arranged for me to meet my future husband at the end of year retreat in Otaki, NZ.

Our first meeting was the most terrifying for me. Two chairs had been arranged outside on the lawn next to the cabin you were staying in; the windows were open, and you would occasionally walk out onto the deck and glance our way. I was pretty much terrified, but my husband, seemingly unconcerned, was politely going through a list of rational topics of discussion. However, being a Kiwi church mouse, as you called us, I could only think of how loud he seemed, and if we were disturbing you! In any case, he was very kind to me, and I was able to speak a little. After our meeting, you laughed at me and said, “So you were able to speak?!”

As the recharge festival ended, I had your darshan once more. You told me the pastime of Saksi-gopala and explained how, once, a young Brahmana served an elderly Brahmana very nicely, so he gave him his dear daughter in charity. In the same way, you said my husband had served you nicely, and you were giving your dear daughter to him.

Two years later, we were married here at Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir and have aspired to serve you together since then. You have guided us through many dilemmas and bewilderments, from East to West and the North to South Pole! You told me once that you sometimes have different hats you need to wear; sometimes you have the father hat on, and other times the sannyasi hat, and I think there are many other hats as well! I have also heard you mention on multiple occasions how the Brahmachari ashram is definitely the simplest!

Like the offering of Ganges to the Ganges, I pray that Sri Sri Radha Vallabha may always protect you and remove any physical and mental burden resulting from the immense austerities you constantly undertake.

Thank you for showering your selfless compassion and love upon all living beings in this world, Guru Maharaja, including my lowly self. You have given the holy name, Srila Prabhupada’s books and the mercy of Lord Caitanya and the Vaisnava. There has never been anyone more merciful to me in my life than you; your mercy is what gives my existence purpose.

Please bless me that I may become a daughter worthy of such a loving, compassionate and selfless father.

Your servant,
Sri Yasoda devi dasi

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my prostrated obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, the shepherd of the lost.

Words may come out of my mouth, but they are not of value if they are not reinforced by your grace. In court, a person may only speak if he has a qualification as a lawyer and he is permitted to speak by the judge, the representative of the law. One without qualification may speak where granted leave to speak. I beg your discretion to say some words on this Vyasa Puja day. As Sri Guru, you are the dearmost servant of Mukunda, mukunda prestha, and it is only by your rule that I should be so engaged.

**An ode to my master, the nectar of the Gods**

To save a soul
Does take its toll
For mere words and things can hardly soothe a seeker

To apply oneself
To get some help
Exhaustion mixed with pain; a guaranteed system feature

Up, down, left and right
Shaken around in this fight
Anything to simply find a genuine teacher

Now by your grace, I've found my place
The confusion clears, my heart doth race
The path of Bhakti, with your warm embrace

You are the guide, by your side
The murky waters of Maya subside
My mind was weak, easily tied
To the mundane, where darkness does reside

You showed the way, how to stay
Fixed on His lotus feet, every day
To chant His name, sing His praise
And break free from Maya's haze.

You pull them in, with love and care,
From Maya's depths, beyond compare.
A shepherd's heart, you certainly bear,
Guiding lost souls, with love to spare.

Prabhupada's words, a beacon bright,
Chanting and service, with all our might.
Humility's grace, shining light,
Leading us homeward, day and night.

For it isn’t the ecclesiastical preacher
Or the one content with mere outer features
But a shepherd of souls, with love that reaches
Deep into hearts, where true longing beseeches.

For this, Gurudeva, my heart swells with thanks,
Your service inspires, like Krishna's sweet pranks.
To follow your lead, in devotion's ranks,
And share this nectar, on life's riverbanks.

I vow to serve, with body, mind, and soul,
To spread this message, and make the fallen whole.
As you have shown me, to reach the ultimate goal,
And drown the world, in Bhakti's boundless flow.

Life after life, that’s my promise to you
What that actually entails I have no clue
But I have, in all those lives, a guide that is true
To Krishna's lotus feet, he leads me through.

Praying to do some service for you in this life,
Srikanta Sena Dasa

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my respectful obeisances at your lotus feet.
Happy Appearance Day to you!
All glories to your divine grace!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Like a determined needle entering a balloon full of hot air, you entered my life and burst my misconceptions. I did not desire it, I certainly did not deserve it, but as a dedicated agent of Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Prabhupada you did their bidding. Srila Locana Das Thakur says about Nityananda Prabhu:

dina hina patita pamara nahi bache
brahmar durlabha prema sabakare jace

<i>Lord Nityananda freely offered this exalted prema, which is difficult for Lord Brahma to attain, even to the fallen and wretched souls who did not desire it.</i>

In Srimad Bhagavatam 4.25.52, Srila Prabhupada writes: <i>“the more one goes to the western side, the more he will find people disinterested in spiritual life. He will find them behaving against the Vedic standards. Lord Caitanya consequently wanted this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to be preached on the western side of the world so that people addicted to sense gratification might be benefited by His teachings.”</i> You are the exemplar of this Guru Maharaj. Though materially old enough to retire to the Holy Dham, you rather still carry Vrindavan in your heart and continue with gusto to deliver Krishna’s teachings to the Western world. A real inspiration. Kala (time), Kala-kanya (old-age) and Yavana-raja (fear personified) have no common effect on you, in fact they enliven you in devotional service throughout the world. You recently told me about how Srila Prabhupada felt separation from Rukmini Dwarkadhish in Los Angeles as he had to travel back to India and how you yourself felt separation from Radha Govinda in New York as you had to relocate to Los Angeles. Regarding Radha Gopinath, you told me <i>“Consider yourself Their tiny servant. As long as you’re there in Their abode, be thankful, be eager to go see Them every morning. But They may ask you to leave. You’re not a householder you know, you’re in the renounced order of life. You should carry Radha Gopinath in your heart wherever you go.”</i>

My current assigned service places me in assisting to coordinate project affairs for the construction of a new, grand Temple for Sri Radha Gopinath. <i>“You get the best of both worlds, bhagavat-marg and pancaratrika-marg”</i> you told me. <i>“Become expert in building Temples for Krishna, learn as much as you can in this service.”</i> But you quickly and dutifully reminded me of the essence of our Parampara’s desire <i>“but just remember, between book distribution and building temples, book distribution is more important, but temples are also necessary.”</i> When Srila Prabhupada was once asked why he had waited until he was seventy before going to the West, he had stated, <i>“I was trying to become a successful tool for preaching Lord Caitanya’s message.”</i> I consider the present time to be a similar opportunity, to build strength, and to carry Radha Gopinath in my heart for once again full-time immersion in travelling sankirtan in the near future. This opportunity I pray for. The sankirtan-yajna saves lives, both of the participant and the recipient. I cannot forget your deepest personal desire – to find Srila Prabhupada quickly in your next birth and pass out his books as a member of his nirmala sankirtan party. I request that you kindly take me with you.

Please keep me at your lotus feet.

Your servant,
Sriman Nrsimha das

Dear Gurudev

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.

I wish to express my deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to you for rescuing me from hellish life and engaging me in devotional service. Out of your compassion and devotion you have waded into the muck and mire of Kali Yuga to rescue helpless souls like me from hell. Thank you for making it so easy for me to begin my bhakti career. Thank you for your protection, wisdom and guidance. You have transformed my life completely and I am eternally indebted to you. For my offering this year I will attempt to focus on just several of your innumerable and divine qualities.

You are silent, expert and magnanimous. You speak only of Krishna and brilliantly deliver to us the most essential knowledge generously.

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” BG 4.9

This is Srila Prabhupada’s second most quoted verse in all his purports. You’re relentlessly focussed on helping us understand Krisha’s transcendental nature activities and his activities. You remain chaste to Srila Prabhupada’s mood and keep the main thing, the main thing. Your classes are filled with relatable examples and the latest research so we remain engaged and attentive. You also give us an endless stream of nectar to hear in the form of Bhagavatam classes, podcasts and outreach talks. You care so much and work so hard to make Krishna Consciousness as easy as possible for us.

You have an infectious and inspiring taste for hearing and chanting about Krishna.

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā
bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ
tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca

“The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.” BG 10.9

In your podcast, On The Way To Krishna, you focus on a particular lila and excavate as many jewels and gems as possible for our transcendental enjoyment and eternal profit. In churning this nectar, your sound vibration is beaming in delight. It really feels that your heart and soul are drenched in thought of Krishna and his pastimes. Just hearing you speak and in particular, in your podcast, I feel a desire to one day, one lifetime taste just a fraction of what you're clearly tasting while talking about Krishna.

You are potent and pure. At the last easter retreat in Otaki I asked you a question regarding japa and the role that emotions like helplessness play in our chanting. You said “Just chant and hear with sincerity. Once you start trying to hear you’ll realize how helpless you are!” You then gave me a very grave and slightly extended look as if to drive your point deeper, into the core of my being. That answer (and look) I remember regularly and my focus and resolve to hear each mantra attentively has improved significantly.

You are compassionate, steady and benevolent. For over 40 years you have been constantly travelling around the world, enduring so many personal discomforts and difficulties, sharing this most precious gift of bhakti. You are a transcendental warrior and I want to express my most whole-hearted desire to continue serving you, to follow your instructions and to become the best instrument I can be for you and your service to Srila Prabhupada.

Please give me your blessings that I may become more sincere in my attempts to serve you and please help me to become a real servant of your servants.

Your aspiring servant,

Srivasa-sarana das

Dear Guru Deva
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

When I think about your life, I notice that at every stage you have worked with prodigious energy. It seems to me that every service you have done has been significant to the development of ISKCON. Whether distributing books, working on the Chaitanya Caritamrita, preaching behind the iron curtain, working with the GBC, initiating devotees, motivating whole yatras, writing books, inspiring individual devotees, or working for the BBT (and I’m sure you do much more that I don’t know about) you work so powerfully. And you continue, full steam ahead, even though you are now 74! Most people have slowed down long before they get to that age. Your energy and potency seem quite magical to me.

When I think about what your generation of devotees have done, I am awed. Srila Prabhupada started ISKCON and laid the foundations for future generations. His disciples have taken up the responsibility of not only maintaining what he gave us but increasing it. You have done an amazing job. As your generation passes the responsibility on to our generation, I wonder how well we will take it up. Will we be able to maintain what we have been given? Will we be able to expand the outreach as you have taught us. Or will we squabble like selfish children and waste what has been given to us.

When I think about my life, I notice that I have hardly made a difference to anyone or anything. My body is a wreck and my mind – a mess. I feel time flowing past me like a river, the surface is deceptively smooth and flat, but the water is nonetheless flowing quickly. Each moment passes and is gone. I wish I would use my limited time to do something that would make you proud. But all I do is dream.

When I think about my heart, I can see lots of work to do! In my ongoing attempt to clean my heart, I tackle various monsters. Recently, resentment has shown its face. Well, more correctly, I noticed its face for the first time. (Well even more correctly, I acknowledged its presence for the first time.) I resent my current situation, particularly my health issues, and the way some devotees treat me, but I also notice a subtle resentment of you. Things from the past that have not turned out well taint my relationship with you. Please forgive me, Guru Deva, for my critical resentment. I want to clear this from my heart. You have done so much for me. If you had not so kindly inspired the book distributers so many years ago, I would not know about Krishna at all. And your consistent encouragement over the years, is my inspiration. I am so grateful.

Thank you, Guru Deva
Your servant and spiritual daughter
Sruti-cari dd

Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my prostrated obeisances again and again in the dust at your lotus feet.

On this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja, I humbly offer you my heartfelt gratitude. Your guidance and presence in my life have been an immense source of strength, inspiration, and spiritual growth. Without your wisdom, I would be lost in this world of illusion. You have opened my eyes to the eternal truths of life and given me a connection to Lord Krishna, which I deeply cherish.

I still fondly (and embarrassingly) remember the incident at the Manchester temple in 2003. You were leading an ecstatic kirtan, and as a young, overzealous bhakta, I was tasked with receiving the articles from the pujari after they were offered. After receiving the water, I enthusiastically filled my palm and proceeded to throw it on the side of your head, soaking your kurta in the process. You gave me a quizzical look, as if to say, “What are you doing?” But in my brilliance, I interpreted that look as meaning I hadn’t offered you enough water. So, with even more determination, I reloaded my palm and prepared to drench you again. Thankfully, you grabbed my hand just in time. After the kirtan, when you sat down to give the lecture, you looked at me with disbelief and said sarcastically, “What do you think, the more water that lands on my head, the more mercy I get?”

Looking back, that moment taught me a valuable lesson in mindfulness and humility, reminding me of the need to temper enthusiasm with awareness.
Needless to say, I hope that after a couple of decades of practice, my loving exchanges are at least a little more refined! I know I still have a long way to go, but with your example leading the way, I am confident that I will continue to make progress, however slow that journey may be. Your kindness and mercy are the foundation of my spiritual life, and I am eternally grateful for your continued shelter.

In that moment, your humorous and forgiving response to my blunder reflected the very qualities that Canakya Pandit highlights in his teachings. He says:
“The cuckoo bird, although very black, is beautiful because of its sweet voice. Similarly, a woman becomes beautiful by her chastity and faithfulness to her husband, and an ugly person is beautiful when he becomes a learned scholar. In the same way, Brahmanas, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras become beautiful by their qualities. Brahmanas are beautiful when they are forgiving, Ksatriyas when they are heroic and never retreat from fighting, Vaisyas when they enrich cultural activities and protect cows, and Sudras when they faithfully discharge duties pleasing to their masters. Thus, everyone becomes beautiful by their special qualities.”

As described above, the special quality of a Brahmana is forgiveness. To call you a Brahmana is insufficient to describe your greatness, for your qualities far surpass even the highest standard of a Brahmana. Among these, your forgiveness shines brightly. You forgive us for countless offenses and patiently welcome back those who have strayed from the path.

Your warm heart embodies the deep compassion and kindness you show to everyone, whether seasoned devotees or newcomers. You offer encouragement and guidance during difficult times, and your empathy and love make us feel sheltered and supported. This makes you a beacon of inspiration in all our lives.

Hoping one day to serve you with the grace and dignity you deserve,
Your eternally aspiring servant,
Stambha bhava Das

Hare Krishna Gurudev
Please accept my humble obeisances.

I do not have enough intellectual capacity to glorify you on my own
So I decided to use these beautiful and deep lines from the bajan “Ohe Vaisanava thakura” by Srila BhaktiVinoda Thakura.

ekākī āmāra, nāhi pāya bala,
hari-nāma-saṅkīrtane
tumi kṛpā kori’, śraddhā-bindu diyā,
deho’ kṛṣṇa-nāma-dhane

Translation

I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.

I’ve been meditating on this bajan for sometime now. Every time this bajan comes in my mind I sing it and think how merciful Krishna’s devotees are and How merciful you’ve been to us. As result of that mercy thousands around the world are being delivered from the ever miserable material existence to the very personal realm of Krishna. I pray to your holiness may I get just a drop of your taste for the holy name and ultimately love for Krishna.

You’re aspiring servant
Sucandra Das

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your lotus feet.

Your ability to rescue the fallen souls from the trenches of Kali Yuga is so dynamic, contemporary and personal.

Your expertise in presenting the teachings of Bhakti to both new comers and advanced practitioners is beyond expert. Gurudeva you are a genius. Your classes and podcasts deliver Bhakti in such a relatable way. They are captivating, detailed, and heart-warming. You are revered around the world for your wonderfully eloquent and humerous Bhakti presentations as well as your deep gravity and humility.

Your spiritual body traversing this planet is so auspicious, glorious and beautiful to behold. I feel so fortunate and honoured to be on this earth at the same time as you.

Your devotion to Srila Prabhupadas every word and desire is so inspiring, moving and deep.

Your leading of your disciples through the desert of Kali Yuga to the pristine and blissfully fresh ocean of Harinam sankirtana is mesmerising, joyful and exhilarating.

Your mercy is deeper than I will ever know.

I beg for a drop of your divine mercy, a dust particle from your transcendental lotus feet, for there is nothing more valuable in all the worlds to me.

Praying to become the servant of the servant of that dust eternally.

Your grateful, indebted, aspiring servant,

Sukanthi Radha dasi

Hare Krishna dear Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your Vyasa puja. Happy appearance day.

Gurudeva, on this auspicious occasion of your Vyasa puja, as I reflect back on the day when you accepted me as your daughter, I cant help but feel overwhelmed at your causeless and ever flowing mercy.

Despite such a hectic schedule travelling all over the world to preach Krishna consciousness with your ever growing vigor and enthusiasm, you still manage to take out time to reply to my insigficant queries and requests. Your lotus feet are my only shelter when it comes to dealing with the bewilderments of this material world. I still remember my first virtual meeting with you over covid times when I said to you "I still cant believe that I finally get to speak to you and that I want to do everything to please you" to which you replied "Do everything for Krishna, keep Krishna in the center always" That was my first instruction which I still struggle to follow. You also instructed me to go to senior devotees who can advise me about how to navigate through grihastha life and I have taken that personally. I am sure with that instruction you also blessed me so I could always get the guidance of exemplary devotees in this congregation for which I feel most fortunate.

Every time I am in a situatuon where I feel I am looking at maya directly I only pray that I never let you down because I represent you and Krsna, so I ought to act in a way that you can feel proud of me just like Srila Prabhupada feels proud of you. Thank you for accepting me as your spiritual daughter in spite of my unlimited anarthas and please bless me so I can play the role of an ideal devotee which means an ideal griharini, serving my family which Krishna as bestowed upon me as you recently said in your lecture at Werribee 'if you think material, you have forgotten Krishna". For every question about my personal life you have always advised me to consult my husband before taking anu decision and I took it as an instruction to serve Krishna's family by keeping Krishna always in the centre.

I feel eternally grateful to be at your divine lotus feet and perform devotional service and please devotees in the right mood.

Your insignificant servant
Sukha Krida dasi

Hare Krishna Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisance’s
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you
Gurudeva, your presence in this world is a profound blessing for all of us on the path of bhakti. The śāstras declare that a guru illuminates the heart and dispels ignorance, and you embody this truth through your teachings and actions. Your eloquence in explaining profound philosophical concepts with clarity and your ability to connect them to our everyday lives inspire us all to deepen our understanding and practice of bhakti.
Reflecting on my own journey, I am eternally grateful for the moments of clarity and inspiration I have received through your association. I vividly remember the time when you shared the importance of patience and dependence on Krsna. Although I couldn’t understand your directions then, but slowly now I am still understanding the gravity of those statements. You have made Canberra a thriving community of devotees who want to deepen their spiritual journey within a span of few visits. Each interaction with you, whether in lectures, personal darshans, or during your caring guidance, has left an indelible mark on my spiritual life and made me hopeful that maybe one day I can practice devotion with firm and conviction as yours and other sincere devotees.
As your humble disciple, I recognize my limitations and the vast ocean of your mercy. I am dependent on your guidance and teachings to navigate the complexities of this material world. My sincere attempts at service and devotion are often overshadowed by my shortcomings, but it is your grace that keeps me striving. I realize that without your support and senior devotees, I could easily become lost in my own confusion and doubts.
Gurudeva, I humbly request your blessings as I continue my spiritual journey. Please grant me the strength to remain steadfast in my sadhana, the knowledge to understand your teachings deeply, and the humility to serve others with an open heart. May I always remember your instructions and embody the qualities of devotion that you exemplify. I pray that you continue to inspire and guide me, so that I may one day become a humble instrument in spreading the teachings of Lord Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada to others.

Your aspiring servant,
Sukhanandha Puri Dasa

Dear Gurumaharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Stila Prabhupada and all glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.

Your opulences shine bright and sharp Gurudeva. Your focus on Krsnas service is tangible and illuminating . Thank you for the sweet gift of devotional service and allowing me to see more and more how much you care.

I pray to hear and follow
Your aspiring servant
Sundarangi devi dasi

Dear Guru Maharaja,
Good morning 💐💐 and Hare Krishna to you 🙏🙏

nama oṁ viṣnu pādāya kṛṣṇa preṣthāya bhūtale, srimate devāmṛta swāmin iti nāmine

pracāre purva-dakṣyam ca bhaktācāra-pravīṇatā
parārthatāpi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥnama

I and my wife are offering our respectful obeisances unto your divine lotus feet on the auspicious occasion of your Vyasapuja 2024.

All glories to you Srila Gurudev, all glories to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Gauranga as well.

Love you guruDeva because your holiness gave me Harinama Deeksha on 24/FEB/2024 in sridham Mayapur eventough I am not qualified to receive Harinama Deeksha from you. This shows me that your holiness is bestowing mercy again and again upon me to connect me back to services towards sri sri Radha Krishna.

Gurudev, I am indebted to you so much. I love you because you are helping people like me &amp; doing wonderful services towards Srila Prabhupad and Sri Sri Radha Krishna.

Your classes are so nice. Your interactions are always memorable to us. My wife loves you a lot, guruDeva.

Our ( I and my wife) always felt very happy whenever we met you. My wife loves your smile, talks, and she is so happy to receive your continous blessings even though we did not perform noticeable services onto your lotus feet yet. I am happy to have you as my spiritual father.

Dear Gurumaharaja, I will find a solution when I listen/watch to your classes. Your teachings through your classes are transforming me and your preaching activities can/are definitely transform the people like me around the globe.

Please let me request you to forgive me for my mistakes, guru Maharaja. Thank you so much for your mercy upon me all the time, guruDEVA.

Thank you gurudev for blessing me &amp; my wife continuously. Haribole.

Guru Maharaja ki jai. guruDEVA ki jai. Srila Prabhupada ki jai. Anantha koti acharya vrinda ki jai. Anantha koti bhakta vrinda ki jai. Panchatatvaki jai. Sri Sri Rasha Krishna ki jai.

Please take care, GuruDeva. Thanks for letting me to write this offering on this auspicious day of your Vyasapuja 2024.

Your insignificant servants,
Sura Sreshta Das (Harinama Deeksha Desciple)
Harita Madhavi Devi dasi (Brahmana Deeksha Disciple of H.H Jayapataka Swami Maharaj)

HH Devamrita Swami Maharaj Vyasapuja 2024

Om Agyana thimirandasya Gyanajana Shalakaya Shakshurunmilitham ena thasmai Sri Guruve Namaha!
Namah Om Vishnu Padaya Krishna Preshtaya Bhutale
Srimate Devamrita Swamin Iti Namine
Prachare Purva Dhaksam Ca Bhakti cara Praveenata
Paratapte Karunyam Yasya Sarvachate Namaha
Srila Prabhupada has described the glories of Guru in various places of which one I read recently in SB 3.25.8 in which He mentions that the spiritual master is the ‘paaragam’ meaning crossing over. Crossing over from conditioned life to freedom. In the very next word, Srila Prabhupada states that without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot see things as they are. Just as without the light from the sun, one cannot see things with the eyes and just as a student in a lab cannot understand things seen under the microscope without the teacher explaining, without Srila Prabhupada’s mercy in the form of His books, one certainly cannot understand spiritual matters easily. But it is a common practice among school students in India, especially the dull students like me, to use a guidebook which explains the original textbook. Similarly, although Srila Prabhupada has simplified the divine message of Gauranga, you are taking the exact message to commoners in a language that they can assimilate. It is beyond my understanding how you have been doing this every day, every moment for over 50 years.
Your mercy has no bounds and a demonstration of this was when we had your kind association last year in recharge festival NZ. I had stepped out of the hall even before the kirtan was done just as I was gobbling up a mouthful of Prasadam, you exited the hall, and I was expecting chastisement that I truly deserved. Instead, you inquired about our trip so far and put your lotus hands on my shoulder, a gesture that baffled me. You even notice how the devotees participated in kirtans and called me out as dancing like a golden deer, reminding me about Suranga, the deer, whom I am to be a servant of. I pray to Sri Sri Radha Vallabha, Sri Guara Nitai and Sri Jaganath, Baladev, Subhadra for your good health so that more souls are able to crossover. Please continue to glance mercifully upon this fool.
Aspiring to be your humble servant,
Suranga Dasa

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my most humble and heartfelt obeisances in the dust of your divine lotus feet.

On this most sacred and auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja, I offer my deepest gratitude and appreciation for your merciful presence in my life. This sublime day serves as a special reminder of how extraordinary and precious you are—not only to me, but to the entire world. Your transcendental qualities and your divine compassion stand as a beacon of light for all souls lost in the darkness of ignorance, guiding them to the safe and eternal shelter of Lord Krishna’s lotus feet.

In Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya 25.9, Śrīla Prabhupāda, while quoting his divine spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, offers a perfect description of the exalted nature of a true spiritual master:
"Without being empowered by the direct potency of Lord Kṛṣṇa to fulfill His desire and without being specifically favored by the Lord,
no human being can become the spiritual master...

He cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore, he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shining brightness of Kṛṣṇa’s effulgence throughout the world. Such an ācārya, or spiritual master, should be considered nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa — that is, he should be considered the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s potency. Such a personality is kṛṣṇāliṅgita-vigraha — that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa."

It is by the causeless mercy of Sri Krishna that I have been placed under your protective wings, where I feel the warmth of your divine guidance, the strength of your support, and the soothing shelter of your embracing mercy. To express what is in my heart, I humbly offer a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.10.19 that reflects my affectionate sentiments:

"I consider your good self the most exalted master of mystic power. You know the spiritual science perfectly well. You are the most exalted of all learned sages, and you have descended for the benefit of all human society. You have come to give spiritual knowledge, and you are a direct representative of Kapiladeva, the incarnation of God and the plenary portion of knowledge. I am therefore asking you, O spiritual master, what is the most secure shelter in this world?"

For me, Gurudeva, you are the most secure and steadfast shelter in this turbulent world. As a pure Vaishnava and a direct representative of Lord Krishna, you are engaged in the most confidential service of the Supreme Lord—rescuing fallen souls like myself from the binding clutches of maya. Your position as a spiritual master is so dear to Krishna that if you recommend even a sinner like myself, He mercifully accepts, bestowing His grace in a way that I could never deserve on my own.

As confirmed by Lord Krishna Himself in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.17.27) and quoted in Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Adi 1.46:
"One should know the ācārya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods."
Srila Prabhupada further clarifies in his purport:
"A 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. The spiritual master is also called ācārya, or a transcendental professor of spiritual science."


He also states:
"Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual master. Therefore, in the dealings of an ācārya 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 āśraya-vigraha, or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take shelter."

While I lack the purity to directly contemplate Lord Krishna’s pastimes, you, Gurudeva, are the tangible manifestation of Krishna’s mercy in my life—a divine ambassador from the spiritual world sent to uplift, guide, and purify me. Having you as my eternal spiritual master is the greatest treasure and blessing I could ever receive, and your guidance and care are my most potent inspirations to continue advancing in Krishna consciousness.

During your recent stay at Gita Nagari, I had the rare fortune to serve you daily for an entire month. Although our interactions were brief and gentle, the impact on my heart and consciousness was deep and transformative. Just as the sun silently nourishes all life, your presence illuminated my heart, eradicating layers of conditioning and igniting a renewed sense of purpose and devotion within me. I realized that serving you is the most powerful means to purify my heart and draw closer to Lord Krishna. Every moment spent in your presence felt like a priceless jewel, each one purifying my existence.

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.1.16):
"If a sinful person engages in the service of a bona fide devotee of the Lord and thus learns how to dedicate his life unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he can be completely purified."
Srila Prabhupada further elaborates:
"As fog is vanquished at the first glimpse of sunlight, one’s sinful reactions are automatically vanquished as soon as one begins serving a pure devotee; no separate endeavor is required."

Gurudeva, I am deeply, profoundly, and eternally grateful for the divine opportunity to be under your shelter. From the very core of my being, I thank you for the priceless gift of your association, your patient guidance, and the causeless mercy you extend to me despite my countless shortcomings. It is only by your causeless mercy that I have any hope of making spiritual progress. By your grace, all things are possible; without it, there is no hope at all.

I earnestly beg for your continued blessings so that I may grow into a more sincere, humble, and dedicated servant. Please continue to guide and uplift me so that I may serve you in a way that truly pleases your transcendental heart. This alone is the perfection of my life.

Your eternally aspiring servant,

Surapala dasa

Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
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Although I’m unqualified to glorify your transcendental qualities, I want to purify myself by taking this opportunity to glorify you. Thank you for your care, understanding, and attention. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made to inspire devotees every day for many years now, including this fortunate soul.
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I would like to tell you how much inspiration I got from your lectures which is making me strong in Krishna consciousness especially when I have moments where I feel utterly miserable and useless. When I listen to your classes, I try my best to apply into my day-to-day life. Your classes are so powerful that every time I listen to you, your words cut through my material covering and touched my heart. You have taught me by example to always keep Śrīla Prabhupāda and Krsna in the centre. You have shown me that only then, my life is complete.
&nbsp;
You are always thinking about spreading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s message to the whole world through book distribution.&nbsp;
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I know I am unworthy to serve you, but it is all your mercy that I am continuing my Kṛṣṇa consciousness journey. Whatever service I do, I can see your helping hand.&nbsp;I am lost without you and the more I try to chant, read, and learn. The more I realise I cannot do any of it without you and your mercy.
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You give me hope that someday I might perhaps be worthy of becoming an instrument in your service, in sharing this most precious gift of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness with the world. I will keep trying to do my best to try and be of some service to you. I am forever grateful to you and will always remain indebted to you.
&nbsp;
Your aspiring servant

Suresvari devi dasi

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to you on this auspicious occasion of your appearance day.

Thank you Gurudeva for having given me the opportunity to have a Bhakti life, filled with devotees association and service to Krishna. You've given me everything I need.

I’m eternally grateful to have come across your outreach centres and met you in New Zealand. You’ve been called the acharya of Western outreach, you’ve set up centres to attract everyone to Bhakti, the wild west and Kali Yuga refugees. You give everyone a chance! Breaking up any barriers to Bhakti, for those that might not be drawn to a traditional temple, enrolling so many lost souls in the path of Bhakti through your centres. You set up ashram training for men and ladies, mentoring system, courting system, devotee care programs to take care of all the devotees.

I still remember my experience in 2020 whilst traveling through New Zealand. I was strolling the streets of Wellington, a young free spirited girl, when Gokul Lila approached me and invited me to attend SoulFeast at the Bhakti Lounge that evening. She mentioned that a monk would be speaking, so I decided to postpone my reservation at a cocktail bar and join the gathering instead.
A few hours later, I found myself seated in the temple room at the Bhakti Lounge, eagerly awaiting your talk. Your words resonated deeply with me; each point churned my heart, prompting reflection and wonder. Everything you shared felt incredibly relatable and thought-provoking. I remember feeling at home. Bhakti Lounge had everything I could have ever wanted as a young girl looking for : genuine, spiritually-minded people, philosophical discussions, yoga, music, delicious vegan food, and opportunities to volunteer and be part of a vibrant community.

Thank you for formally enrolling me in Krishna Consciousness this year by accepting me as your disciple. Thank you for your guidance and for being so personal and tolerant with me.

Every year on your appearance day I wonder where would my life be headed if I hadn’t met you. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for everything you have taught me and are doing for me and I pray to be able to show this in my actions and service.

Your servant and spiritual daughter,
Suri devi dasi

Nama Om Vishnu Pradaya Krishna Presthaya Bhutale, Srimate Devamrita Swami Iti Namaine

All glories to Prabhupada, and my humble obeisance to HG Devamrita Swami

I am so blessed to be in Gurudevs guidance throughout my spiritual journey. When I was new in this mission he answered all my questions, some inquisitive n some not so intelligent ones. He always made us feel cared for n was always polite and kind to us overlooking our flaws and being patient with us just like an ideal father would do.&nbsp;

He has given us some very valuable tips for life which if we observe religiously we would never fail to achieve what we aspire for. He guided us how to work as a team in our home, how to follow Krishna consciousness and what to keep as a priority in life. I have learned from him how to keep things simple n sorted and how to adjust with changing times...

I always look forward to his association and guidance which I know will help me get out of this material bondage and flaws in my devotional journey.

Your humble servant
Sweta

Dear Guru Maharaj
Please accept my respectful obeisances at your feet.

The last time I thanked you for initiating me into Srila Prabhupada’s movement and the disciplic succession was the day of my initiation itself. I had been accepted into a beautiful worldwide family and also given a lifetime career into the deepest and most satisfying knowledge. It was a very exciting beginning to a new life, however throughout the years that momentum has had its ebbs and flows. So here I am to renew that gratitude.

Some months ago, I lay in hospital feeling quite defeated, scared and frustrated that despite what I knew and understood in my heart about Krsna, I could not access him in the way I thought I needed to. It was the devotee friends and well-wishers that kept me afloat during that period reminding me of what was most important.
These special friends and well-wishers are in my life because of you, because one evening years ago after a university programme you happened to ask me a question and that’s how I met you.
Whatever I know today, whoever I lean on, whoever I call my friends and
well-wishers, it is because of you accepting me and providing the foundation of my spiritual journey. Thank you for initiating me and providing a dynamic spiritual education programme. I love being a devotee, it’s given my life meaning and satisfaction. I hope to be an instrument to give others the same.

A most glorious Vyasa puja to you.
Your servant
Syama gauri dd

8th October 2024
Vyasa Puja---Tamalavan das

Dear Gurudeva,



Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories To Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your divine service on this Special Day, the Day of your appearance.

I am happy to recall a conversation with you many years ago when you noted the disadvantaged position of a Buddhist:- The void.

I had in the distant past encountered Buddhists and heard the Dalai Llama in person, visited remote Thai Buddhist temples with locals. In May 2000 in Santa Fe New Mexico, USA. I dined with a Tibetan in his home. This sunny chap, a former member of their government in exile, was a monk. I later learned he was guardian of a great number of Tibetan texts, in the form of scrolls. He said that I could have beer with my meal, apparently a Tibetan staple.
I would have not had the benefit of discernment had you not so noted void, Gurudev. {Those Buddhists encounters had not, actually been entirely repellent}.
Upon reading and hearing further through yourself, the Vedas as presented by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada the novice comes upon multiple reference to clear differences between Krsna Consciousness and Impersonalism, as such have existed for Great Swathes of time on the vast and diverse Indian subcontinent.

Yes, and there is the attitude the Buddhist and other Voidist world viewers may have to grinding poverty or misfortune should that be their lot. It seems they may actually embrace this somehow, philosophically at least. Practice through interminable trance meditation under a tree in a remote spot or even on an exposed hilltop.

PERSONA GOD ALLOWS A MORE POSITIVE WORLD.

On looking further there is THE ATMARAMA VERSE WHICH I HAVE FOUND at Teachings of Lord Caitanya (15 TLC): -
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&amp;&amp;p=61ef53fc54076f72JmltdHM9MTcyODI1OTIwMCZpZ3VpZD0yNDQwYmJkYi03ZDQ1LTY1MmMtMWQ5Yy1hZjNhN2NhNDY0MTYmaW5zaWQ9NTE4NQ&amp;ptn=3&amp;ver=2&amp;hsh=3&amp;fclid=2440bbdb-7d45-652c-1d9c-af3a7ca46416&amp;psq=Srimad+Bhagavatam+%3a-+the+famous+Atmram+Verse&amp;u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmFiaHVwYWRhYm9va3MuY29tL3RsYy8xNSM6fjp0ZXh0PUxvcmQgQ2FpdGFueWEgbmV4dCBleHBsYWluZWQgYSB2ZXJ5IGZhbW91cyB2ZXJzZSBrbm93biBhcw&amp;ntb=1
“The” Bhattacarya and his encounter and eventual progression with Lord Caitanya to God Consciousness and the opportunity to develop and identify as Jiva, a Spirit Soul, unbound by the captures of the flesh the material body. (Transcending the earthly struggle but in a much happier way than is possible say through rigorous incomplete scholarship, or hardships, or say as with a Yogi mastering lying on a bed of Nails to approach Brahman).
Dance and sing: - active meditation, a joyful celebration Jiva on Jiva. Smiles on all faces. Caitanya's gift.
I have found, as well as in Shrimad Bhagavatam, a very full and charming account of the former Impersonalist or Mayavadi( Sanskrit): - SARVABHAUMA BHATTACHARYA {One Full Sampradaya Forebear in chain of Disciples} at: -
https://gaudiyahistory.iskcondesiretree.com/sarvabhauma-bhattacharya/#:~:text=Sarvabhauma%20Bhattacharya%20was%20a%20student%20of%20Pakshadhara%20Mishra,%20the%20head
Your Servant.
Tamalavan das.

Dearest Guru Maharaja Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your spiritual master Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance and vyasa puja.

This is such a great opportunity to be able to openly glorify you. I always struggle finding the rite words to use and not being a poetic or very literary person, I feel I will never be satisfied with being able to glorify you appropriately enough. Please excuse my limited attempt. Because your saintly qualities are so plentiful it's impossible for me to glorify them all, I wanted to focus in on family this offering.

I think about what makes a good parent and you have all the good qualities of one. You give such enlivening and indepth classes, perfectly passing on the knowledge of Krsna you were so expertly taught. Your consistantly bettering yourself every opportunity you have and set a standard for us to aspire for. You guide us on safer paths to Krsna and you always shower us in love and mercy. You set sure boundaries and encourage us when we are struggling. Your a personal, kind, humourous, gentle and practical spiritual father, gifting us all the qualities to observe to grow up and become strong devotees of Krsna. We are so fortunate to be in this family, Thank-you Guru Maharaja.

Due to your mercy, this little Amrita family has never been happier. Becoming apart of the Wellington community has demonstrated what a thriving spiritual family and community feels like. Everyone here is your spiritual child and there is a mood of indebtedness and complete surrender to you. You have so mercifully accepted this NZ family of Kaliyuga jivas (and others abroad) and given us so much shelter and service opportunity. I was laughing with a devotee saying it's the perfection of life, we can only associate with each other if we are engaged in service together.

As you know this year we welcomed another soul into our ashram, baby Kālindi, observing how much goes into caring for someone and endevouring to raise them Krsna concious; It makes me think of your over 200 spiritual children and I'm in awe of your capacity. You so lovingly give us all such indepth spiritual care. Thankyou for this service you so selflessly engage in - we are so truley fortunate.

Guru Dev you've given me so much allowing and welcoming me into your special family. I know I will never be able to repay you. I pray that one day I may be able to serve you and you may be pleased. May this year ahead bring you even closer to your beloved Sri Krsna.

Your spiritual daughter and aspiring servant always,
Tarunyāmrita Devi Dasi

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on your divine appearance day.

Within the 5 years I have been connected and disconnected to the Bhakti community, my loyalty towards you has never changed.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.

I am always very grateful for the guidance you have so generously given me over the years. The time, the energy and patience you continue to give has always left an impression on my wilted heart. l pray that I can serve you well in the near future, as you so deserve.

Hare Krishna.

Your aspiring eternal servant and daughter,
Teresa Tauu

Hare Krishna Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada.

All Glories to your Divine Lotus Feet.

On this auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja I wish to say
how eternally grateful I am for your mentorship over the years.

All glories to your wonderful service to Srila Prabhupada.

Quote from Guru Vandanam:

The Spiritual Master is an ocean of mercy friend of the poor and Lord and master of the devotee. O Master be merciful unto us, give us the shade of your lotus feet, your fame is spread over the three worlds. We take shelter at you lotus feet.

Hare Krishna.

Your servant,

Thakura Murari das

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisences at your lotus feet.
Recently, I have been trying to focus more on internal advancement and practices, rather than just externally appearing to be advanced. My humble offering for your Vyasa Puja, therefore constitutes a brief poem, in an attempt to glorify some significant events in your amazing spiritual life.

Your mother prayed for a servant of God, at the time of your conception.
The purity of character growing in her womb, beyond her perception.
Growing up amongst the hedonistic culture of New York city,
In your family, God consciousness was never a scarcity.
You earned scholarships to study at the best institutions,
Brought about by your unparalleled intelligence and divine intuitions.
Hearing jazz legend John Coltrane declare the Love Supreme,
Inspired a transition of your life, to a spiritual theme.
Having studied an eclectic selection of subjects at Yale,
You concluded that material education is not the Holy Grail.
The dean of your studies had no idea how your life would unfold,
But he declared ‘You are a Yale man, you will influence the world.’
Your conclusion was confirmed in the Transcendental Teachings of Prahlad.
Enlivened, you delved deeper and deeper into every book by Srila Prabhupada.
Eager to get the latest release, you finally approached a devotee.
But when you preached to your fiance, it was not to her fancy.
Praying to Radha Govinda for deliverance from entanglement,
You took shelter as a bramachari, in Lord Chaitanya’s Sankirtan movement.
You were known as ‘The Hard Luck Kid’, to this struggle, I can surely relate.
But when Krishna wanted to use you as an instrument, He redefined your fate.
At the lotus feet of Rukmiṇī-Dwarkadīśa, you accepted new service at the BBT,
Editing Srila Prabhupada’s books, undergoing a marathon to publish the CC.
Shortly after the departure of His Divine Grace,
You accepted sannyas, to help Him deliver the human race.
In hostile territory, you distributed Bhagavad Gitas behind the Iron Curtain,
Your message of Godhead would save so many; of this you were certain.
Relieving conditioned souls of their perpetual perplexities.
Travelling all over the world, pioneering preaching in Western cities.
By your mercy, this year has been the best one yet!
You saved me, from a miserable existence, how could I forget!

Please forgive me Gurudev, if I got any of the information wrong, or if I have caused offence in any other way. I am forever grateful for all you have done for us, and look forward your next visit.

Servant of your servants,
tīrtha kīrti das

Dear Guru Maharaj,
please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

In my humble attempts to preach, I am more and more convinced that the world has gone mad and people are losing their humanity. It's contagious. It's not easy to keep your head above water in such an environment. I am saved by your lectures, which are practical and soothing, providing much-needed guidance at the right time. They reveal to me the fundamentality, the solidity, and the incredible truth of Krishna consciousness. They reinforce the realization that there is nothing in this world that can bring relief to the inflamed mind except chanting the holy name. Thank you very much, Guru Maharaj, for your hard work. I am sure no matter what happens in the world and even in our movement, if I hold tightly to your feet, it means holding on to the feet of Srila Prabhupada and the entire Guru Parampara. Then my life has a chance.

Hare Krishna 🙏

Your servant,
Trailokyanatha dasa

Dear Gurudeva, please accept my most respectful obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance in this world. All glories to Srila Prabhupāda.

Somehow or other I have stumbled across these wonderfully effulgent disciples of yours whom are giving so much of their time and energy in devotional service under your order. Thank you for dedicating this life of yours to serving your spiritual master in such a dedicated way and dedicating your whole life for the welfare of others.

Being young, and naive , I am skeptical about putting my faith in anything of this world. However, having tried almost everything, I am in desperate need of that process which can heal this open wound of frustration and resentment
within my heart. This material world is simply a place of suffering, however it gives me hope seeing how these disciples of yours have such firm faith in the process of krishna consciousness due to having been led by your exemplary character, and I am deeply indebted to you. Your heartfelt endeavour to uplift all of the fallen souls of this age of Kali is very moving. Thank you for caring so much for each individual person. I’m always moved by your humility and sensitivity.

Although I am doubtful that I can make much of an impact in this Krishna Consciousness movement, I hope that I can please you and show my gratitude in some small way…

Your Servant, Trent

Hare Krishna dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances all glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you on the auspicious occasion of your appearance day.

I would like to express some realizations I had and my gratitude for you!

I’m writing this offering from Brazil. It’s my first time back here and seeing my family after six years. In this situation I’m realizing how I have been so protected by you.

Being here made me realize that it is very difficult to overcome the attachment for family members and when I look back I wonder how I did that for six years. How did I leave everything behind and lived so detached from them for so long? This was just because I was fully protected under your shelter. The ashram, devotees association and the infinite opportunities for devotional service made something almost impossible, very easy.

You developed such a strong and loyal community in New Zealand that provides guidance, support and opportunities for everyone to not only take on the process but grow and flourish in their Bhakti journey. I can see that any little advancement I have made was due to the facilities that were offered to me during my days in the single ashram.

I remember hearing a joke “to be a devotee in Brazil you have to read 4 hours a day” and I can clearly see how the material energy here is indeed very strong. If Krishna hadn’t taken me to New Zealand and I didn’t have your shelter and training, I would probably not have made much progress in my spiritual life. But you saved me Gurudeva! Not that I’ve made much progress, but whatever I did, it’s due to the mercy of you and your disciples.

I’m always amazed to see how selfless and patient you are Gurudeva. Your expertise in preaching is out of this world. You understand where we are at and very expertly give the needful to feed and nourish our little seed of devotional service.

You are so loyal to Srila Prabhupada. You could be in Mayapur or Vrindavan, relishing.. but no, here you are traveling the world dealing with us, Kali Yuga lost little creatures, trying to save us from the sticky clutches of material energy. You are the vivid example of someone following Lord Caitanyas instructions of preaching the science of Krishna to everyone, everywhere you go, and by your own example you encourage and inspire us to do the same.

I admire how intelligent you are Gurudeva. You are always thinking ahead, seeing the future. Finding ways to preach to the young generation and how to touch their hearts. Recently you gave a talk at Victoria University in Wellington and it was incredible to see how potent it was. The students were enlivened and amazed by it.

It is very inspiring how serious, determined and loyal to your instructions your disciples are. Not only in the single ashram, but we have many incredible examples of grihastas as well. Recently you started the new farming project, New Kulina and I’m personally very inspired to see your disciples (specially Radha Prasada and Krishna Prasada) so eager to please you by giving their life and soul, working on that revolutionary project!

Despite my selfish and very conditioned nature, you accepted me under your shelter and I’m eternally grateful for that.

Now that I have moved to the grihasta ashram I feel that it is harder to fight against maya. She is right in my face and I have to be way more conscious of my desires and decisions but being around your disciples and fully engaged in devotional service make me feel protected.

On this auspicious day I beg you to please protect me Gurudeva. It’s said that we get the qualities of those who we associate with. So I beg you to please keep me in the association of your sincere and enthusiastic disciples so I might get their mercy and hopefully develop some qualities that could be beneficial for my engagement in devotional service.

I wish to develop taste for hearing and chanting and to give my life to your mission. I want to help you to expand the Krishna Consciousness movement in whatever way I can, so if you so desire please empower me to do so - I’m aware that I have a long way to go, but I’m trying to be your eager and humble servant.

Your spiritual daughter and servant,
Tulavati dd

Harekrishna
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Dear Gurudev
All glories to your appearance day

Nama Om Vishnu Padaya Krishna Presthaya Bhutale
Srimate Devamrita Swamin iti namine
Pracare purva-daksyam ca, Bhaktacara-pravinta
Pararthatapi Karunyam, Yasya sarve ca te namaha

I would like to thank you a for accepting me as your disciple and welcoming me into God family.I met you first at Harekrishna valley retreat in 2019 and later on a boat cruise both times i have so many plans to ask you so many questions but
your presence calms tsunami of questions I am struggling with material life and calms my anxiety and after ur&nbsp; darshan mostly i don't&nbsp; remember what questions&nbsp; i asked but ur instructions bells my mind.

I feel so much separation when you come and go like a baby separated from its mother but get consoled when I come to temple and meet devotees.Your lectures are my hope I don't understand them sometimes it's very clear I lived nonsensical that day and some are like thunderbolts then definitely I lived that day simply with high thinking rather than running after sense gratification.

I didn't understand why you kept instructing me to read CC, hesitatingly I started reading , while listening to your classes&nbsp; but it all made sense when I started reading more in association of&nbsp; devotees every text and verse are beautiful conversations between Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his devotees guiding an ignorant soul like me how to live every day in gratitude to Their Lordships and my spiritual master who is the every hope in this world full of maya

Gurudev I always get a dream I am sending emails to you abt what happened the whole day but not happened so far and may not happen ever . I fall down exploiting the three modes of material nature I pick up my battles want to be with devotees and Krishan try not to hurt anyone but I am full of anardhas if ever I hurt you in anyway please forgive me.Please accept my prayers in this simple offering and please forgive me of any offenses.Seeking your blessings so I can serve you the best way possible.

Your menial servant

Ujjvala Smita

Nama om visnu padaya
Krishna presthaya bhutale
Srimate devamrita swamin
iti namine

Pracare purva daksyam ca
bhaktacara pravinata
Pararthathapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!


This year marks the fifth year of our rebirth. We have been contemplating on where are we in the path of Bhakti and found that we are still at preliminary neophyte stages where too many anarthas lingering in our heart and struggling to chant attentively. The more we think about these things, the more we find ourselves been wretched and fallen and immediately our mind runs after your lotus feet that is our only hope of survival in Bhakti. Again and again we offer prostate obeisances to your lotus feet.

You are the personification of extended compassion shakti of the parampara. Your good self travels around the globe and imprint your lotus feet all over the places. You carry the supreme personality of godhead within your heart and turn all the places into places of pilgrimage as it is rightly said by King Yudhistra to Vidura that "Tirthi kurvanti Tirthani...". A pure devotee turns any place a holy dham by his presence. You are a travelling holy dham Srila Gurudev. Your physical presence boost our enthusiasm in Bhakti. We have witnessed your kirtans in Melbourne that you bring a current of bhakti that runs in our veins and we find ourselves jumping high in the air out of ecstasy.

Your vani has a profound effect on people's consciousness and purify their existence. You are so expert in delivering the message of the supreme personality of godhead that you give a complete dosage of a capsule with two shells. First you untangle our knots of material existence by reminding us that misidentification ourselves with the body is the root cause of our suffering and then at the end you shower the nectar drops of the sweet pastimes of the supreme lord. Your powerful series in Gitanagari about Jadabharata instructs Maharaja Rahugana had a tremendous effect on our consciousness. The more we hear this series, the more we find ourselves being cured and relishing the sweetness of nectar. There are many things that intrigued us in that series. However, we would like to mention three of them. First, you mentioned that we are not a human beings having a spiritual experience rather we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Second, Nowhere in Bhagavad Gita Krsna says to believe in him. Last, at the end someone asked you that why did you choose this subject matter to speak about? Your reply was because we don't get it that we are not the body, but a spirit soul and it needs to be reminded again and again.

I remember that how one of these sentences transformed one's consciousness. Earlier this year I went to the grocery store where I met one western man looking at the cover of "Bhagavad Gita as it is" sitting on the side of the counter. I approached and told him that this book is very fascinating and it talk about different types of yoga. He immediately replied oh it's your belief. Don't try to enforce your belief upon me. Then i said what I heard from you that "Nowhere in Bhagavad Gita Krsna says to believe in him". He says that you experiment yourself and experience the results. As soon as I said that his consciousness changed and he was like really! he doesn't ask to believe in him. I said Yes, it's not a belief system but a spiritual science. In the beginning he was bit impolite but later he started to respect me after hearing this words. At the end, he was favourably inclined to buy the book. So, i realised the power of your speech that how these words uplift the consciousness of people in general.

O Dear father, On this auspicious occasion of your appearance, We pray for the spiritual strength to continue being in a position to serve you unmotivatedly and unconditionally.

Your humbe servants
Uttama bhakti das, Raga bhakti devi dasi, Radhe and Vrindaa

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept our humble obeisance,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
All glories to you Gurudeva!

How inconceivable that selfish, destructive persons like us find ourselves in the presence of such a brilliant, eloquent devotee of Lord Caitanya like you Gurudeva?
You bring value and meaning into our lives by allowing us to perform devotional service.

You are such an inspiration: your kirtans are the real sound baths - immersing participants in the Holy Name and making their troubles and distractions vanish. Your recitation of the Prema Dvani prayers is so joyfully intense - helping us snap out of our mechanical ways.
Your classes bring clarity and hope - in a recent class you condensed our multifarious pursuits into "pursuing awesome or good". This perspective helps me during the days to question my intentions and actions. Your descriptions of pastimes bring so much flavour into parts of the Bhagavatam we thought we had heard before.

Thank you for allowing us a part in assisting you in your merciful outreach to the conditioned souls.
In one of your podcasts you describe the potential in cooking for Krishna. That by the devotee's devotion, Krishna's presence becomes tangible to the person who honors such prasadam.
As unqualified as we are we humbly beg for a fraction of such consciousness when performing our cooking service, for your pleasure Gurudeva.

Your aspiring servants,
Vaishnava Charan Das and Yasomati Devi Dasi

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my must humble obeisances,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you on this auspicious day.

It’s no easy task glorifying you on this auspicious day, not for what of examples to praise so much as knowing where to start.

While its certainly the duty of the disciple to glorify the spiritual master, this day especially surpasses the platform of duty.

We jump at the opportunity to glorify you with heartfelt gratitude, for we’re made from your mercy.

Of the unlimited number of living entities entrapped within this material world, it is so rare that one might undertake authentic spiritual awakening.

Of those that choose to pivot against the deluge of Kali-yuga how rare is it to find one who sincerely and seriously surrenders to the Bhakti path under the shelter of the Parampara.

I marvel at the accomplishments you’ve amassed in your decades of service to Srila Prabhupada.

How proud he must be to have a spiritual son like you, carrying the banner of the Sri Caitanya’s sankirtan movement so high.

As your success and achievements continue to swell, one might think you’d take the well-deserved opportunity to ‘dial things back’ or ‘make more time for yourself’. But you’re no ordinary soul.

Defiantly you march forward against the Kali-yuga tumult. Bigger festivals, more absorbing outreach programs. More book distribution, greater prasadm outreach. Tirelessly mentoring, coaching, preaching, teaching, you seem to have no limit.

Anyone would be amazed to see the levels of achievement you’ve reached in just one arena, but you are no ordinary achiever. Because of the burning love you have for your spiritual master, you’ve achieved mastery in practically every arena. Anything and everything for the pleasure of Krsna and the fulfilment of Srila Prabhupadas instructions.

On this auspicious day I’m so gratefully indebted to you, and I confess that I can never repay this gift of mercy you’ve bestowed upon me.

You unfailingly show such tremendous care and kindness upon me and my family, and for that I am so deeply grateful and indebted. A broken Kali-Yuga creature, your mercy and compassion have rescued me from what must have been such a pitiful and debased existence. Like so many others, I’m so grateful to be your mercy case.

Now I am surrounded by a wealth undreamed of. A wealth that cannot be sourced in this material world. A wealth that continues to grow and grow, putting me deeper and deeper in debt to you, and as that debt grows, so does my gratitude and joy, for I know that I can never give up my service to you.

Recently I had the great fortune to spend some time personally serving you. Thank you so much. My experience echoed a passage from the 11th chapter of Krsna Book “All the cowherd men, including Nanda Mahārāja, used to talk of the wonderful activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, and they were always so much absorbed in those talks that they forgot the threefold miseries of this material existence. This is the effect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What was enjoyed five thousand years ago by Nanda Mahārāja can still be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa conscious persons simply by talking about the transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and His associates.”

In your personal association, or in the association of your instructions I feel sheltered in the forests of talks of Krsna. Sheltered from this material world. Peacefully waiting.

On this auspicious day I pray that I may forever remain in your service and in the service of your servants.

Begging to remain ever your attentive servant,

Vamsidhari das

Dear GuruDev,
Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I sit here at this hour with a heart full of gratitude and feeling greatly humbled that you considered me worthy enough to be your spiritual daughter. Thank you GuruDev for inspiring me with your writings, lectures and examples. Thank you for your instructions. Thank you for allowing me the privilege to be able to serve you. Thank you for being the perfect Acarya! Thank you for coming along and showing me the way. Thank you for your wonderful teachings that help me every single day navigate the deep dark alleys of my consciousness. Thank you for accepting me as one of your own. Thank you for letting me sit at the dust of your lotus feet and giving me your valuable and precious time during personal darsans. Thank you for listening to me and reading and responding to me - every single time.
Thank you Gurudev for Vana Sakhi.

Last year when I met you in person the first time, I just couldn’t stop crying. I am yet to figure out whether they were tears of happiness that you agreed to even let me sit at the dust of your lotus feet or were they tears of regret for having wasted so many years without you and without Radha Gopinath.

Like I sing the Guruvastakam every morning remembering nothing else but your lotus feet, I indeed honour you Dear GuruDev as much as the Supreme Lord, because I firmly believe, you truly are the most confidential servitor of Srila Prabhupada and of Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Only by your mercy can I ever receive the benediction of Sri Sri RadhaGopinath. And without your grace Gurudev, I know I simply cannot make any progress. Make me so capable that I may always remember and praise you.

Like the lines in the song go-

jogyatā-vicāre, kichu nāhi pāi,
tomāra karuṇā-sāra

If you examine me, I have no qualities, your mercy is all that I am made of.

Thank you Gurudev for all that I am and for all that will become of me.

Forever in your service

Your insignificant servant,
Vana Sakhi Devi Das

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to you on the auspicious day of your appearance

Earlier this year I read a verse that I wanted to include in my offering because it inspired gratitude in me - of having the great fortune of having yourself as my spiritual master. In SB 11.14.26 Krishna said to Uddhava:

“When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it gradually recovers its power to see. Similarly, as a conscious living entity cleanses himself of material contamination by hearing and chanting the pious narrations of My glories, he regains his ability to see Me, the Absolute Truth, in My subtle spiritual form”.

In the purport, Prabhupada explains “...A blind person feels perpetual gratitude to a doctor who restores his sight…the bona fide spiritual master, the representative of Lord Kṛṣṇa, restores our spiritual sight, and thus he is our eternal lord and master.”
I felt that this is true because I'm starting to understand that my vision of what life is about, who I am etc. really isn't what I thought it was for so long. Like I read recently in a purport, “the material condition of life is the most undesirable perplexity”. It’s surreal to live in a world where everybody is under the illusory energy’s spell, and yet there is a small association of devotees who are going against the grain and living a sane life. I thank you for the opportunity to enter the association of devotees, and try to be serious about understanding the absolute truth. It seems very easy to go through life mindlessly, without thinking very deeply - like you said in my recent darshan, I used to be a lot more spaced out. But I'm fortunate to have serious association and examples in the Wellington community that you established.

Thank you for the kindness and mercy you have given me also. You gave me the opportunity to be initiated last year and I feel really grateful that you granted me this formal beginning in Bhakti. I feel very genuinely touched by how caring and personal you are. I had this experience after my last darshan that I felt actually quite moved by how much you deeply cared. I’m still thinking about it and it feels a bit inconceivable. It makes me think it must come from your Krishna consciousness because in the preface of NOD, Prabhupada talks about how loving Krishna allows you to love all living entities - something still unfathomable to me. Recently you gave a Soulfeast talk at Bhakti Lounge and you spoke on the limited capacity for love on the material level. It made me feel in awe of you for how you manage to genuinely care for every person, even on the first meeting.

Thank you also for the opportunity to be spiritually educated. You make it apparent that it is very important to learn the science of Krishna and train our spiritual intelligence, and I pray that I can try to fulfill this instruction. You give such nice facilities for ladies to learn and do so much under Krishnaloka’s guidance in the ashram. Thank you for everything you have done and are doing to set up this community in NZ and allow for more people like myself to take spiritual shelter here. Like you said in my darshan-I didn’t really have a purpose in life before KC, but now (by your mercy) I'm becoming more focussed

I’m really hoping that I can become spiritually strong and steady in my Krishna consciousness. I want to try to be a real disciple who takes your instructions seriously and tries to serve yours and Srila Prabhupada's mission. I pray for the inspiration and sincerity to try to do this in my life. Thank you again for everything.

Your aspiring servant,
Vanamala devi dasi

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

I would like to cite a beautiful quote from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s purport at ŚB 8.15.28:

By the pleasure of the spiritual master, one can get extraordinary power, especially in spiritual advancement. The blessings of the spiritual master are more powerful than one’s personal endeavour for such advancement.

As the bulk of my this year’s Vyāsa-pūjā offering, I want to recount the story of my trip to New Vraja-Dhāma earlier this year. Though my own life and times are relatively insignificant, your position therein, as a divinely empowered representative of Kr̥ṣṇa, is quite the opposite. I feel that by telling this little story, which is profound at least for me, I will be able to highlight your glories as best I can.

In preparation for visiting the dhāma, I considered what prayers I would say to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Śyāmasundara there. I had taken your permission previously to read books like Vilāpa-Kusumāñjalī, as presented by HH Śivarāma Mahārāja, whereupon you gave me the directive that I may read them for ‘educational purposes’, as long as I don’t think I’m on that level! You encouraged my immature first attempts to love Kr̥ṣṇa, and at the same time brought me very much down to earth, that they were nothing to make a big deal about at this point. When I try to chant the Lord’s name my mind is horribly inattentive, and when I incidentally hear of His pastimes, I am too often haunted by the ghosts of past mundane passions. And so, it seemed obvious that I should be asking Rādhā-Śyāma for their help in attaining the platform of devotional steadiness, niṣṭhā; that I may gain the ability to hear Kr̥ṣṇa-līlā with an unagitated mind, and to meditate on His holy names with rapt attention.

On arrival, amidst a mystical maṅgala-ārati, I stood before the altar at Krishna Valley. Rādhā-Śyāmasundara were enchanting as always, and it was easier than usual for me to understand that Gaura-Naṭarāja, golden and beautiful, was Their combined form. And then, as I held that preplanned prayer for steadiness in my heart, the Gurvāṣṭakam verses that we were chanting seemed to respond, in an obvious yet profound way: the lotus feet of the spiritual master are your means to attain niṣṭhā. And thus began something of a theme, one that would continue for me throughout the weekend.

Later that morning you appeared in the temple room, taking darśana of the deities and delighting our Welsh godfamily with your own darśana. I wondered how I could get an opportunity to serve and please you there at New Vraja-Dhāma.

Śrīla Govinda Mahārāja developed upon the guru-bhakti theme after one evening’s magical kīrtanas, reflecting that the lotus feet of the spiritual master are the first important thing for the serious sādhaka. Only by holding on very tightly to those lotus feet can we attain success.

The next morning, when you arrived and began to dance in Govinda Svāmī’s extended guru-pūjā kīrtana, it was quite an ecstatic scene. I was joyful to be chanting the Holy Names in your proximity. Śivarāma Mahārāja arrived there too; the atmosphere was surcharged. Suddenly I was asked to play the keyboard, and you took lead of the kīrtana. It became increasingly uproarious and I felt proud to play a supporting role for one of your classic kīrtana tunes, in front of Rādhā-Śyāma. The other musicians were encouraging me to play something funky, something jazzy! Even Govinda Mahārāja gestured to me and said, “just go for it!”

The festival continued blissfully and culminated in the late-night Vyāsa-pūjā kīrtanas, during which HH Śivarāma Mahārāja commented multiple times how devotees in the early days used to stay up all night on festivals chanting together. He reiterated this to the point that it seemed like an instruction to us younger devotees! And that put ideas in my head. Everyone walked Mahārāja back to his house at 1am, and then us Welsh brahmacārīs returned to our cars (we were staying one hour’s drive away); but I didn’t want to leave. That would mean missing the last morning program with Rādhā-Śyāmasundara; and I couldn’t stop remembering what I had taken to be an instruction from Śivarāma Svāmī; have kīrtana all night! And so, after we pulled out of the car park, I spontaneously alighted the vehicle, declaring to the Prabhus that, “I’ve concluded that there is nothing better for me to do than stay here all night and chant Hare Kr̥ṣṇa.” They drove off and I walked back to the temple.

But when I arrived, expecting to find ecstatic kīrtanīyas, the only ecstasy discernable to me was that of a handful of sleepy devotees packing away the musical instruments. “Oops”, I thought. “Looks like I’ll be chanting by myself!” I sat down outside, a little chilly, wondering if I’d make a stupid mistake by staying there. But, I reasoned, I was in the dhāma! I’ve read Nava-Vraja-Mahimā; it’s supposed to be a land full of desire trees and touchstones! Surely if I took shelter there I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Indeed, I passed the remainder of the night quite comfortably and attended the morning program. Mādhavānanda Prabhu gave a fantastic class on Guru-Tattva, uncannily continuing the theme of my festival! Gurudeva, I sometimes feel quite insufficient when it comes to being your faithful disciple, and so I asked him for advice on how I could deepen my devotion to my spiritual master. Quoting Bhakti-Sandarbha and Pādyāvalī, he told me that “by chanting your mantra, you develop devotion to Śrīla Gurudeva.” “Great,” I thought - “that sounds practical!”

So I spent the morning chanting as best I could, and praying that that would help me stick to your lotus feet better. By and by, I dozed off on a bench at Nandagrāma, woken only by cows mooing from the Gośāla. Noticing bees buzzing about the beautiful flowers all around, I felt ‘this really is Vr̥ndāvana!’ But by this time, after my wild night in the dhāma, I was looking like a bit of a haggard mendicant, quite uncomfortable and in need of a shower. I didn’t even have my sandals, having left them behind in a frenzied rush to catch the maṅgalārati car at 3.30am the morning before! But now it was eleven o’clock, the time at which I had arranged to meet the boys who had brought me my things.

And as soon as I emerged from the shower room, relieved to be clean, in fresh cloth, clean shaven, with tilak, the most significant event of my festival took place. You happened to appear, blissfully walking through the car park! I paid my daṇḍavats, and you asked me, “got time for a walk?” “Of course,” I replied, excited and surprised, jumping into my sandals and abandoning my rucksack right where I was. Had you arrived just a little earlier I would have been barefooted, unclean and completely unpresentable to you! I marvelled at the perfect timing.

You walked me to the gośāla, around every cow-pen, inquiring about my service back in Cardiff, among other things. And when we reached the gurukula you mentioned that you had been glad I was there to play piano in your kīrtana the day before, because I knew how to follow your tune. “I’ve heard too much jazz,” you chuckled. Gurudeva, I do know better than to seek mundane validation from my relationship with you; but I confess, I was so happy!

When you revealed that you had also played the piano as a child, even performing the ‘William Tell Overture’ in a concert, but that you had later stopped in favour of sports, despite your mother’s warning that you would ‘regret it when you’re older’, we both laughed. Walking for the best part of an hour, we discussed jazz legends from Art Tatum to Herbie Hancock. We talked about which of them you had seen in concert, what their music was like, and how hopeless and miserable they mostly became. I couldn’t, and still can’t, quite process the joy that I felt at unexpectedly having this sweet and personal exchange with you, my revered spiritual master.

When we reached the back of the temple, you announced that you would go through the pūjārī area to take darśana. “Can I assist you in any way,” I boldly asked, hoping to prolong the moment somehow. You kindly conceded, “you can meet me at the altar”. So I bolted round to the front entrance and through to the temple room, in case you would get there before me! And after a valuable moment of beholding you gazing at Rādhā-Śyāmasundara and the other deities, I dashed again to meet you at the back door.

Having tied your shoelaces, you stood and placed your hand on my shoulder, emphatically remarking, “yes, I was saved from the miserable world of the jazz musicians by the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda.” I took the courage to respond, “and I was saved from it by your mercy, Gurudeva. Your talk was the first program I ever attended.”

You smiled, told me you were going back to the house and I paid my obeisances. I was blown away, feeling that that the dhāma had reciprocated with me so profoundly; by hinting that I could fulfil my aspiration for niṣṭhā by adherence to your lotus feet, by encouraging and instructing me through Govinda Mahārāja and Mādhavānanda Prabhu, by giving me the opportunity to serve you in kīrtana, and by perfectly arranging an opportunity for an unprecedented, unforgettable moment in your personal association.

A short while later, when you visited Cardiff, you continued to perform wonderful spiritual pastimes, answering all the questions I had in my mind without me even needing to ask them. If I can weave all these sweet memories of your association and guidance on a string around my mind, I feel I will be able to pass over all life’s obstacles very easily.

So now, as I continue to trudge on through the muck of unwanted things in my heart, holding lofty aspirations of love for Kr̥ṣṇa at least somewhere in my mind, I take courage from remembering more frequently that you are my merciful support. You told me some time ago that I could please you by making Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission my life and soul and becoming a dynamic pillar of the bhakti community in Wales; I am working hard at those projects in my own limited way, and I am praying for your mercy.

I have tried to encapsulate some of these feelings in one Sanskrit verse:

kr̥ṣṇa-spr̥hā-dāyin nirāśa-bandho
yat-pāda-niṣṭhā mama siddhi-vartma
antar bahir vā vrajadhāma-vāsin
tad-vallabhā-śyāma-priyam namāmi tvām

SYNONYMS

kr̥ṣṇa-spr̥hā - of longing to attain Kr̥ṣṇa; dāyin - giver; nirāśa-bandho - friend of the hopeless; yat - to whose: pāda - feet; niṣṭhā - adherence; mama - my; siddhi-vartma - path to perfection; antaḥ - within; bahiḥ - without; vā - or; vrajadhāma-vāsin - resident of Vrajadhāma; tad-vallabhā - and His beloved; śyāma-priyam - dear to Śyāmasundara; nāmami - I offer my obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Gurudeva, you bless us with a longing for Kr̥ṣṇa and you give your friendship to the hopeless, hopeless as we sometimes feel long for Him. Adherence to your lotus feet is my path to perfection. Whether externally or internally, you are a resident of Vrajadhāma, dear to Lord Śyāma and His Beloved. I offer my obeisances unto you.

And in one more verse, I would like to offer you a prayer:

he śrī-guro tava mahāprabhu-śakti-bhāraḥ
man-manda-dhīr tv itarathā ‘sti vikṣepa-duṣṭaḥ
kintu kathañcid dhi yate vraja-kr̥ṣṇa-prāptyai
dāntvā mano nayatu māṁ śuddha-bhakti-niṣṭhām

SYNONYMS

he - O!; śrī-guro - Śrīla Gurudeva; tava - of you: mahāprabhu-śakti - of the power of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhāraḥ - an abundance; mat - my; manda - weak; dhīḥ - mind; tu - but; itarathā - on the other hand; asti - it is; vikṣepa-duṣṭaḥ - ruined by inattention; kintu - but; kathañcit - somehow; hi - certainly; yate - I am endeavouring; vraja-kr̥ṣṇa-prāptyai - to attain Kr̥ṣṇa in Vraja; dāntvā - controlling; manaḥ - (my) mind; nayatu - please guide; mām - me; śuddha-bhakti-niṣṭhām - to steadiness in pure devotional service

TRANSLATION

O Gurudeva, you possess an abundance of Lord Caitanya’s spiritual power. In contrast, my intellect is weak, and further spoiled by inattentiveness. Nevertheless, somehow or other, I am endeavouring to attain Kr̥ṣṇa in Vr̥ndāvana. Subduing my mind, please guide me on the path to steadiness in pure devotional service.

Thank you Gurudeva.
Your servant,
Vaṁśī-vilāsi dāsa

Hare Krishna,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah.

All glories to you on this auspicious Vyasa Puja day. On this important day, I pray for your good health and many more years of loving service.

Whenever you give a class, a lecture or talk, I feel the teachings of Srila Prabhupada coming through you. The way in which you speak on various topics, touches every soul just, not just mine, by your unwavering devotion and sacrifice to Lord Caitanya's cause. Your words sit with me deeply, inspiring me to do more, read more and chant more and want to just be a better person.

You exemplary character and leadership is like that of a rare jewel. It enlightens an entire room, brightens a community and brings love to everyone it reaches. Your loving words and conversations that I have been blessed to have, comfort me in times of when all I can do is pray for guidance and lead me along the path.

Maharaj, once again I pray to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai that you remain in good health and help us to follow the teachings of Srila Prabhupada just as you have done

Your humble servant
Vedanga deva

Dear Gurudev, please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet!
All Glories to you! All Glories to Srila Praphupada!

On this amazing day of your Devine appearance, I would like to thank you for everything!

Thank you so much Gurumaharaj for accepting me as your disciple and making my spiritual path so bright and joyful!

Thank you so much dear Gurumaharaj I will try to be a better disciple and please you by following the path you showed us.

you are making it easier for us to understand the knowledge and try to serve Krishna. Seeing how you interact with newcomers, connecting with them on their level, speaking to them in their language, you are showing us how to share Krishna Consciousness with others.

I seek your instructions and shelter so I can progress in my Krishna Consciousness smoothly and assist you in your mission. I fully depend on your mercy!
Your servants
Veenu
Dhirendra

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet and please forgive me for my inadequacies in being your disciple.

My father is a “closet” alcoholic who will easily drink a few glasses of wine and rum and coke every night. It’s funny how society sees this as the norm and both my parents can see no wrong in this behavior. Yet those embarking on the path out of the illusory energy can see it as a glaringly obvious attempt of escape from material suffering. But what else is there to do or where else can you turn in material life unless you have received the mercy of Krsna’s dear devotee. A life of hitting the bottle every night seems like such a depressing existence and I can only feel that one would feel utterly lost. I am very grateful and feel very fortunate to have received your mercy by being my spiritual father. I am grateful that you have been there to open my eyes and intercepted my destiny to also hit the bottle every night.

As I think of your full surrender to your spiritual master and the intensity of your devotional service, I find it hard to actually fully describe your glories and my attempts of devotional service feels so insignificant in comparison. It seems out of worldly that you are able to continue traveling throughout the world with so much vigor, energy and ecstasy, constantly assimilating the message of Srimad Bhagavatam and desperately capturing more conditioned souls. You take on so much burden by taking on the responsibility of being a spiritual father for all your disciples. How can we ever repay you for this unlimited bank of mercy that you rain upon us to extinguish our suffering in material existence:

“Material existence is something like a blazing fire in the forest, which can be extinguished by the mercy of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The spiritual master is the mercy representative of the Lord. Therefore, a person burning in the flames of material existence may receive the rains of mercy of the Lord through the transparent medium of the self-realized spiritual master. The spiritual master, by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental, which alone can extinguish the fire of material existence [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.22].”

I am so fortunate that you have given me some tiny service to assist you with your magnanimous preaching efforts. I pray that as Krsna is undoubtedly so pleased with you, I can continue to receive your mercy through devotional service and Krsna may also be pleased with me one day.

I pray that as you have already surpassed the modes, you may also release me from the tightly tied ropes of illusion:

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself-he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. [Bhagavad-gītā 7.14]”

Your Aspiring Servant,
Vegavan Das

Dear Gurudeva, please accept my humble obeisances at Your lotus feet. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!

On the eve of this most auspicious day of Your appearance, the meditation is on Your dedicated service over 50 years now to our Srila Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission.

*For over 5 decades as a staunch disciple You follow all rules and regulations, the vows that You gave almost 51 years ago,
*as a kind-hearted vaishnava You teach by Your example how to deal with devotees in loving way according to proper etiquette exhibiting 6 loving exchanges according to time, place and circumstances and personalities You deal with,

*as a Sannyasi You perform all Your duties of preaching and exhausting travelling, enlightening and enlivening devotees and people in general all over the world, and those who You cannot reach in person You write books, some of which are sold more than 600000 copies as well as record classes and podcasts,

*as a Rupanuga You are teaching the five main angas of devotional service by engaging Your disciples so they learn to take shelter of the Holy Name, Srimad Bhagavatam (and Caitanya Caritamrita, Bhagavad Gita, Nectar of Devotion etc), Sadhu Sanga, Deity Worship and residing or spending quality time in the Holy Dham,

*started as a copy editor and then chief manager at BBT in Los Angeles, still You continue that important legacy of Srila Prabhupada in coordinating translation of HDG books into other languages (eg. Vietnamese), as well as helping authorized publications of previous Acaryas to re-appear strongly in this world to wider audience in accessible languages such as English,

*as a lover of cows You are helping to protect cows not only by preaching its importance, but by practical involvement with farm projects as well as helping cow minister HG Kalakantha prabhu in his service worldwide,

*as one of the Sankirtan generals You are actively engaged in distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books through Your disciples and in cooperative spirit with godbrothers like HG Vaisesika Prabhu and others, which often results in amazing practical results in number of distributed books,

*as a spiritual master and Guru I have witnessed Your father like nature with so many of Your disciples while translating darshans during festivals 2011-2019, or hearing personally my godbrothers and godsisters speak about such experiences, and of course I have my own realizations of Your father-like care,

*as a GBC, You have been entrusted by Srila Prabhupada to preserve ISKCON values and purity, remaining in tact with original vision, dealing with most controversial and challenging situations, seeing Your headache and health affects of such intense meetings, still You continue for 23 years already, sharing wisdom with future leaders in GBC college and more.

You are an excellent student that is able to learn just by observing, You are attentive to details and to Krishna's energy, not wasting anything, You are excellent strategist and deep thinker with very broad vision, You treat the body - instrument, as Srila Prabhupada's property - with needed care and attention, You perfectly control Your senses, You know the art of Yukta Vairagya, staying on top of technologies, latest research etc., and expertly engaging such in devotional service to the Lord.

In this whole time of over 5 decades, You have worked Yourself till exhaustion, risked Your life many times, sometimes without even seeing any tangible results (referring to preaching behind the iron curtain days), have experienced injustice, prejudice, envy/hatred, harsh words and other very humiliating, unpleasant and rough expressions from so many categories of people You preached to, even from Your own disciples, and sometimes even from some of Your Godfamily. Nonetheless, despite the pain or dishonor, distress or anxiety, You have continued executing Your duties as a GBC, as a Sannyasi, as a Spritual Master, as a true disciple in the most glorious disciplic succession. Whenever I read these famous verses from Bhagavad Gita As It Is (12th chapter), I always think and meditate on Your lotus feet, and what You have gone through, and due to Your natural humility we only know a fraction of Your pastimes and the difficulties that You have experienced, all that trouble just to give us pure devotional service as it has been presented by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. We are grateful and in awe to witness how this "precious gold went through fire assay, just to prove it's highest purity."

TEXTS 13-14: One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me – such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.
TEXTS 18-19: One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn’t care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service – such a person is very dear to Me.
TEXT 20: Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me.

On this very auspicious day of Your appearance, this very fallen and insignificant servant of Yours Venu-madhurya das prays to be somehow or other useful and engaged in serving Your lotus feet and instructions, so that Srila Prabhupada could be more and more happy seeing His reliable and qualified disciple HH Devamrita Swami preserving and expanding mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that is here to benedict all living entities at large. All glories to the Guruparampara! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and You, dear Gurudeva!


Your grateful servant,
Venu-madhurya das

Honorable spiritual teacher,

Please accept my most humble obeisances.
All glory to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
As your disciple, now 70 years old, I am writing this letter with deep respect and gratitude, although I feel unworthy. I entered the movement only six years ago, even though I first encountered Krishna consciousness as far back as 1969 when I read about the golden God. I was 15 years old then, and a big fan of the Beatles, which connected me to the spiritual message in a way that I understand better now.
Although I have been part of the movement for a relatively short time, I sometimes feel confusion and forgetfulness. We know that it is Krishna who gives us both remembrance and forgetfulness (Bhagavad-gītā 15.15), but nevertheless, I strive to deepen my service and to do it with sincerity.
I am currently reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sixth canto, but it takes time, as I often read other works by Śrīla Prabhupāda. I chant in the evening, sometimes finishing my rounds after midnight. I regularly visit the temple and participate in harināmas, but inwardly I feel that my service is not sufficient. Despite everything, I do not want to waste your precious time with these stories.
I wish to ask questions that you would answer, questions that have been asked to the ācāryas, but for now, I am not ready for such profound inquiries. This is my first time writing such a letter, and if it does not meet the standards of Vyāsa-pūjā, please forgive me, Mahārāj.
I am infinitely grateful that you accepted me as your disciple.
I remember how Pandava Prabhu directed me to you, and how I listened to one of your lectures with great excitement. Although I am not fluent in spoken English, your clear expression and friendly smile helped me understand the subject and feel close to you. In that moment, I realized that if I had the honor of becoming your disciple, I must thank the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Krishna, for this blessing.
I am extremely pleased with the name you gave me—Vicaksana—and with every brief meeting I have had with you. I also remember the book I read in one sitting... However, the word "pleased" seems inappropriate and too small to describe the gratitude and respect I feel for you.
I would like to conclude with deep humility and a sincere desire to continue on the path of bhakti, following your instructions.
Your servant,
Vicaksana Dasa

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Kindy accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada &amp; His Holiness Devamrita Swami Maharaj. Dear Guru Maharaj your wisdom and compassion illuminate the path of Bhakti for countless souls. Your tireless efforts in spreading the teachings of Srila Prabhupada inspire devotees around the world. Your deep understanding of Vedic philosophy and your ability to convey it in relatable ways bring us closer to the Divine. You are a beacon of hope and a living example of devotion, embodying the teachings of Krishna in your every action.
Dear Maharaj, your presence in my life has been a profound blessing. Each of your lectures resonates deeply within me, awakening a longing for Krishna consciousness. Your kindness and approachable nature make it easy for us to connect with you, and your genuine concern for our spiritual welfare has left an indelible mark on my heart. Through your guidance, I have found strength in my practice and inspiration to serve. I cherish the moments of association, even if from a distance, and I strive to
As a humble servant of the Lord, I recognize my many shortcomings and the obstacles on my spiritual journey. I often find myself struggling to maintain focus and devotion in my daily life. Yet, through your teachings, I have learned that sincere effort, no matter how small, is valued by Krishna. I seek to overcome my distractions and deepen my connection with the Divine, and I look to you for guidance in this endeavor.
Maharaj, I earnestly request your blessings as I navigate my spiritual path. Please bestow upon me the strength to overcome my weaknesses and the wisdom to make choices that align with my spiritual goals. I pray for the ability to serve with sincerity and to remain steadfast in my practice. May your mercy continue to guide me toward a deeper understanding of Krishna consciousness and help me develop a loving relationship with the Supreme Lord.

Thank you for your unwavering dedication to our spiritual well-being. Your example inspires us all to strive for the highest ideal of devotion.
With deep respect and gratitude,
Vijey Anandhan
Indumathi
Sourab

Dear Gurūdeva,

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

Nama Oṁ Viṣṇu-pādāya Kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
Śrīmate Devāmrita Swāmi iti nāmine

Prachāre purva-dakshyam ca bhaktāchara-pravinata
Parārthatapi kāruṇyam yasya sarve ca te namaḥ

All glories to you!

Your presence and influence have been the pillar in my adult life. I moved from one change to the next, but I have referred to your lessons, remembered your personality, and humbly attempted to contribute in some small manner to your vision. However, it is not enough; I must try to fulfill your dreams for the wider Kṛṣṇa Bhakti movement. Your vision is to form an inspired group of spiritual change-makers seeking to spark a consciousness revolution in the world. Just as you sacrificed for the mission of Śrila Prabhupāda, may I pray for an ounce of that urgency and reignite the spirit of sacrifice necessary to jolt this world out of spiritual forgetfulness. Please give me the strength to sincerely accept the weight of love, and wake up each day inspired to rise above mental concoctions and spiritual mediocrity.

As I prepared to write my offering, I meditated on this verse from
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.24 -

tad aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ
yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāma-dheyaiḥ
na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro
netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ

"Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of one’s chanting the holy name of the Lord with concentration, does not change when ecstasy takes place, tears fill the eyes and the hairs stand on end."

Despite engaging in numerous limbs of bhakti, there is no change of heart. The heart needs to melt and absorb the nectarean Kṛṣṇa-katha. In a Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam lecture in Los Angeles this year, you expressed the importance of having spiritual goals for deeper vaiṣṇava relationships. If I did not have any such spiritual ambitions for myself, how can I expect to have deeper relationships with the devotees? I have been contemplating since then on the question "What are my spiritual aspirations?" May I show greater heart in my interactions with others, seek deep understanding, care for one another, and settle issues with maturity and love. Please grant me the vision to fan the flame in each other while being cohesive and harmonious in your goal and Śrila Prabhupāda's purpose. I shall try my best to avoid introducing divisive tendencies and polarizing narratives into the community. Dear Gurūdeva, as insignificant as I am, please grant me the insight to be a part of the solution. Allow me to transform your vision into the reality it deserves.

You are always encouraging everyone to explore and develop their spiritual potential. Post-covid, when you first met my daughter Kiirtidaa, you
emphatically instructed me to nurture her in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I have been meditating on that over the years, how I can best do that. This year, on your annual trip to Los Angeles, you inquired about my services. I indicated that I was one of the Sunday School instructors in charge of children ages 3 to 7. You seemed very pleased and said, "You have a large family." Although I was unaware of the statement's importance at the time, I have been deeply reflecting on it ever since. These children are like my own children, and I must accept personal responsibility for their Bhakti, just as you do for all of us. Without that spirit of love, concern, and personalism, how can I genuinely be Lord Caitanya's agent? I would like to humbly submit to you some of the activities we did in Sunday School from December 2023 - July 2024 as part of my Vyāsa Pūjā offering - https://shorturl.at/XdJHV

Gurūdeva, I will do my best to serve you - with my contamination, with my limitations, with my foolishness, with everything I wish I wasn't - still it is who I am, it is a part of me, I will use me to do the best I can in your service.

My husband (Thirumurugan), daughter (Kiirtidaa) and myself are very grateful for the kindness you showered upon us this year in Los Angeles. Our hearts are full that you allowed us to serve you. Please forgive us for any shortcomings in our service to you.

Seeking your shelter,

Your spiritual daughter and servant,
Vindhyāvali Devī Dāsī
New Dwārakā Dhāma (Los Angeles)
7th October 2024