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Todas las Glorias a Sri Guru Gouranga
Todas las Glrias a Srila Prabhupada
Querido Gurudeva:
Por favor acepte mis mas humildes y respetuosas reverencias.
Todas las Glorias sean a Ud. en este dia tan auspicioso, de su aparicion.
Yo tan solo quiero agradecerle por su misericordia,y preocupacion por una discipula tan poco destacada como yo, aunque muchas veces no entiendo, o no quiero entender, como da su misericordia, le agradezco, su preocupacion y dedicacion. Sus actividades son ejemplares, siempre dando Conciencia de Krsna, y subiendo el estado de conciencia de los devotos y personas que se encuentran con Ud. Su predica es tan honesta, sin cosas encubiertas, que es muy impactante y afortunado escuchar la verdad de como explica la Conciencia de Krsna, y como vivir sin olvidar la meta superma de la vida y como estar dia a dia sin olvidar que somos sirvientes eternos de Krsna y sus devotos.
Muchas gracias Gurumaharaja y por favor perdone por ser una devota, que tan facilmente olvida, y que no tiene rasgos de algun dia sentir un afecto y apego sincero por el Señor y sus devotos.
Su sirvienta
Jai Sri Radhe dd
My Dear Srila Gurudev!
Please accept my bows by Your lotus feet!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!
Accept, please, my congratulations this day Your divine phenomenon. Thank You, that You came in this world. Thank You, that You came in this movement. Thank You, that You rescue us, Your disciples, from maya and give us the
divine association.
Last time is hard for me on soul and I not absolutely well feel myself. I did not see You more year. I receive association from other spiritual masters, they very much help me, but I very much need association with You.
I understand, that it is a level of neofit, and actually You are present at the instructions. But I am still far from perfect and very much I need in seeing You directly and to hear You.
I become sentimental, probably, it is connected to old age of a body. Earlier I very seldom cried. Now tears appear as soon as I recollect You, Yours kirtans and Your spiritual brothers. Last time I frequently deep in
thought. I think about the spiritual life, I think of with what we become, we are Your disciples. On Your causeless mercy all Your disciples whom I know, have very appreciablly exchanged in the best side. They are full of enthusiasm in spiritual life and always aspire to improve the consciousness of Krishna. I try to not lag behind them, but at me it badly turns out. It is very a shame to me, that I treat to not to the most useful disciples, can be for this reason to me now so there is no association with You.
One shift at me all the same is. This heart. It becomes soft. All this due to Your sight. Each evening when I say goodbye to You till the next morning and I offer You result of past day, You look at me with infinite understanding and compassion. Under this sight my heart can not remain former. All internal and external changes which occur to me, occur on Your mercy. Without Your mercy I for a long time would turn to one continuous piece of ice, iron and concrete.
Thank You, that You force me to thaw.
Accept please, my wishes this day. Let this day will be filled with boundless love of Your disciples. Let your disciples will recollect all promises which they gave before initiation and will start them to carry out, that You never did not suffer any more from their forgetfulness and carelessness. Let all of us become more responsible and serious.
Please, be cautious, take care and let Krishna always protects You in this way.
Always your useless disciple trying while it is ineffectual to become useful
Jana Mohini d.d.
Dear GuruMaharaja,
Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance in this world!
I like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my most glorious spiritual master, Devamrita Swami, who has so kindly given me the shelter of his lotus feet.
Being lost in an ocean of material desires, you came to rescue me from yet another (human) form of life, being wasted in passion, ignorance and illusion.
Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.1. explains:
"Human life means voluntarily practicing suffering in the form of austerities and penances for the advancement of spiritual life. ... To relieve them from this bondage and enable them to become blissful and happy, bhakti-yoga should be taught."
You have so kindly given me the opportunity to engage in this bhakti-yoga process, which is the real success in life.
S.B. 4.30.37. explains:
"There are two kinds of devotees. One is called gosthanandi and the other bhajananandi. ... The gosthanandi is one who desires to increase the number of devotees all over the world. He travels all over the world just to purify the world and the people residing in it. ... Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted His followers to move all over the world to preach in every town and village."
We are so very fortunate to have a living example from our spiritual master, who shows his disciples the real welfare work for humanity.
I pray on this day that you may bless me with a deeper understanding as to how to give this message of love of God to everyone I meet.
And to enable me to develop real compassion for all living entities.
Amidst the duality of opposing elements, may I always remember your unflinching faith and devotion to your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, and all the previous acaryas.
S.B. 4.22.47 explains:
"Knowledge of Krsna is such a great gift that it is impossible to repay the benefactor. ... 'vinoda-patram' means 'joker' ... A joker's activities simply arouse laughter, and a person who tries to repay the spiritual master or teacher of the transcendental message of Krsna becomes a laughingstock just like a joker because it is not possible to repay such a debt. ... The best friend and benefactor of all people is one who awakens humanity to its original Krsna consciousness."
How fortunate are we to have you Guru Maharaja, as our best friend and well-wisher!
Please enable me to understand this fully so that I may be able to become a better servant of the servant of your servant.
Your forever indebted aspiring servant of your servant,
Janesvari devi dasi
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you, because you are spreading the greatest gift of Krishna consciousness all over the world in a most expert way, making it palatable and easily accessable to the mad people of this age, such as myself. You are so merciful that you are engaging even an ignorant fool like me in assisting you in your missions. You have allowed me to to live in the fire of the preaching mission, to witness people become naturally attracted to Krishna consciousness in relaxed association with devotees.
Thank you for your patience and for letting me stay in this enlivening atmosphere, even though I do not take full advantage of my situation. I'm sorry for not living up to your expectations. Please don't take my lack of enthusiasm and heart felt action to mean I don't appreciate all you have done for my family, friends and me. You have made my mum so happy, and been so kind to us both. But I know the best way to show gratitude is through one's actions. You are demonstrating how a devotee should act by your selfless actions, giving so much time, thought, assistance, classes and enlivening kirtans, even when you are not physically well.
Only because of your kindness and association have I been able to keep practicing Krishna consciousness. By your mercy the clouds of ignorance in my consciouness have greatly discipated, my more debilitating addictions have disappeared, and I have become happy. I can't even begin to repay you without being allowed to engage in your service and that of your servants. I am in a completely reliant condition and although I don't deserve it, you have given me shelter, just like Lord Caitanya came and freely gave His mercy to the conditioned souls. I am obviously incapable of glorifying you as you deserve, your glories being unknown to me, but please accept this offering, as a small step towards your service.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhaktin Jessie.
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
One morning during a Christmas marathon I drove you to the Brahmacari ashram in Auckland to give a morning class. You spoke about praying for Lord Caitanya's mercy. After class I drove you to a place to get your drivers license renewed. It was busy so we went to Gribblehurst Park in Sandringham where Srila Prabhupada used to walk and chant and we chanted there for about an hour. I sat on the bench as you walked around the rose gardens chanting.Then we returned for your license renewal and it was 1pm by the time I got back to my place, I was thinking, "Its too late to go out on books now." Then I thought about you and knew that you would not be pleased with such thinking, so I headed off to the nearest town, Onehunga.
On the way I was thinking about class and started chanting out loud, "Caitanya! Caitanya! Caitanya!" I packed my books into the trolley and carried on chanting, "Caitanya!" until I reached the spot. There was an old Indian man working in the shop there. He was always happy to see me distribute books. I was still chanting, "Caitanya!" and things went crazy. I distributed all the books in the box and in the car, then the old man came out of the shop really excited. He said, " You have been very busy today!" I thanked him and he bought a small book. When I got home my son and daughter got inspired and decided they wanted to come out on books too. Chanting, "Caitanya, Caitanya!" we went to a local carpark where I watched them distribute a few books each and they were so excited.
Thankyou Guru Maharaj, thankyou for giving this family an opportunity to serve you. The service of Lord Caitanya is certainly your life and soul.
Your humble servant,
Jhulan Yatra das
namo om visnu padaya
krsna presthaya bhutale
srmati devamrita
svami iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca,
bhaktacara-pravinata,
pararthatapi karunyam,
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my most humble obeisances.
All glories to you!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Guru Maharaj, from the moment I saw you, I knew that my spiritual life will be taken care of. You continue to inspire me so much, I remember every time I ask you if I can do anything for you, you always reply with an assurance that everything will be alright "just concentrate on your sadhana". This is your greatness, that all you want me to do is engage in Krsna Consciousness.
Guru Maharaj, I cannot thank you enough, I don't think I can ever, but I hope this life onwards can serve as a big thank you to you. When I first met you, you were the first person I revealed my mind to you fully-all my negatives, I cannot understand why and how I just told you everything, but I did and you just nodded so compassionately and gave me so much advice on what to do. Since then my whole life has changed, you remind me by your activities and presence that Krsna Consciousness is beautiful, its blissful, its dynamic!
Today, Krsna sent you to us, you out of your unlimited compassion and mercy took this unfortunate soul and took him under your shelter, I have no hope to develop good qualities, nor do a stand a chance in surrendering my false ego, but you see something in me that can be engaged in Krsna Consciousness, you are the foremost expert in seeing my nature just like a doctor who can tell what disease a patient has and prescribes a suitable medicine.
O spiritual father, I wish to offer you my heartfelt gratitude, I hope I can become a genuine spiritual son one day, and I know this is all you ask of me.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhakta Jitesh
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your lotus feet. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
On this special occasion I would like to thank you for everything.
Although I have only known you for a short time in this life time, you have done a great deal for me.
Simply by following your instructions I have been making my life closer to the path of perfection.
I wish that your divine grace be my guide in Krishna's service for eternity.
Please bestow your blessings upon me.
Your insignificant, aspiring, servant.
Bhakta Kamran
Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
"I was born in the darkness of ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him"
From the depths of my heart, I would simply and sincerely like to say thank you for everything...
Thank you for giving your saintly association , which the Bhagavatam praises so highly. It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.18.13;
"The value of a moment's association with the devotee of the Lord cannot be compared even with the value of attainment of heavenly planets or becoming birthless (liberation from matter) and what to speak about worldly benedictions in the shape of material prosperity of persons who are meant for death."
I wish I could put aside my false ego and take full advantage of your association.
Thank you for taking up the austerity of accepting the fallen and degraded souls of kali-yuga, and taking on the reactions of so many sinful activities, only for the sake of leading us back home, back to Godhead.
I wish I could really understand your greatness.
Thank you for over and over again presenting the truth to us, who have been immersed in sense gratification for many millions of lifetimes. Foolish and proud, still we haven't given up the hopes for this flickering happiness. Expertly and boldly you declare;
You will all die, what are you going to do with your life?
There is no real happiness out there! There is no true love in material life!
Don't waste time; engage in blissful service to the all auspicious Lord, Sri Krishna;
Start today and increase, increase, increase!
Please use all your energies in Krishna's service and save nothing for Maya.
Please simply dedicate merely one lifetime to Lord Caitanya's mission.
It is possible, simply keep on going, keep on going and keep on going...
Keep on chanting, please hear that sweet holy name!
I wish I could make these instructions my life and soul, the only longing of my heart.
Thank you for so expertly arranging training, guidance and facilities to make it easy for us to grow and develop in Krishna consciousness.
I wish I could understand how I am completely dependent on your mercy.
Thank you for being so patient and tolerant, giving each person just as much as he/she can take.
I wish I could eradicate all my false pride and selfishness and let you cut all my attachments off.
Thank you for taking up Srila Prabhupada's mission so sincerely and pushing all preaching activities, teaching us to make this the basis of our lives.
I wish I could merely work as your instrument, helping you in your mission.
Thank you for being the best spiritual father; so loving and caring and personal in your dealings.
I wish I could please you and serve you.
Trying to be your servant /Karuna-Purna
Dear Guru maharaja.
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Nama om visnu padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate Devamrita Swami Itinamine.
Hare krishna guru maharaja, my offering this year is to just thankyou for this last visit to soho which was really great and inspiring, I hope you can come back many many more times and wake us up with your classes I pray for you to attain full health for traveling and preaching, and I hope to be able to fullfill your desires by chanting and dancing more vibrantly...
your servant
Kasinatha das
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet on this holy day of your appearance.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Your glories are unlimited, but allow me to attempt to delineate the few I can perceive of:
I wish to express my eternal gratitude for...
- Your instruction and guidance
"My path is very difficult. I am blind, and my feet are slipping again and again. Therefore, may the saints help me by granting me the stick of their mercy as my support." - Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami
- Your corrections and chastisements
- Your personal example, displaying beyond a doubt that service to Guru and Krishna is the lifestyle to have - full of fresh taste and variety at every moment
- Your ever-fresh service attitude
- Your vibrant explosive kirtans that send us all flying
- Your painstaking love and care for us all
- Your heartfelt urging that we care for ourselves - by chanting Hare Krishna and reading Prabhupada's books, keeping engaged in service (best if selfless)
- Your love for book distribution and concern that it always continues
- Your compassionate outreach to all lost souls, so artfully tailored to their conditioning
- Your teaching us what real love is, and what it isn't (the part we're hung up on)
- Your hours and hours of classes, teaching with electrifying precision our most needed lessons
- Your inspired humour that makes the spiritual path so fun, although so serious
- Your illumination of our internal obstacles and attachments
- Your treatments to assist their uprooting!
- Your intelligent, experience-laced solutions to all problems
- Your absorption in, assimilation, teaching and glorification of Prabhupada's books
- Your attentive training of us your spiritual children
- Your appreciation of Vaishnava-sanga
- Your spiritual vision of us, urging us to awaken our real potential
- Your precise utility of every moment in Krishna's service
- Your full-hearted investment in every service opportunity
- Your surrender to your spiritual master's desires, which qualifies you as an empowered representative of the parampara
- Your appreciation of our childish attempts to serve you
- Your life example -- an uninterrupted expression of pure love for Srila Prabhupada, Krishna and His fragmental parts
"O all-merciful spiritual master, representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when will my mind be completely surrendered unto your lotus feet? At that time, only by your mercy, I shall be able to get relief from all obstacles to spiritual life, and I shall be situated in blissful life." (Sripada Sridhara Svami, quoted in Prayers of the Personified Vedas)
I beg for the benediction to dedicate every moment for your pleasure. May my life be your time to use. How else can I attempt to repay this debt I owe to you except by laying down my life. Certainly it is plain to see that I imagine in illusion that time belongs to me and I can do with it as I want for my pleasure. Please bless me with the insight to see this is not so and transform all moments into action for your pleasure alone - my mind completely surrendered unto your lotus feet. It is possible to live on the transcendental platform even in grihastha ashram you encourage, but it takes work. If all activities and discussion are for your service alone, I can see how it is possible.
I wish that I could communicate the beautiful gift that you have given me to others Gurudev, following in the mood of your own inspired preaching. Please bless me with some intelligence and inspiration to do so.
If only these lost souls knew the flavour of even insignificant service at your lotus feet, then they would join us and dance like "jubilant peacocks"!
Your ever-aspiring servant and daughter,
Khadiravan devi dasi
- Your instruction and guidance
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble,respectful obeisances on this auspicious day of your appearance
Again requesting to remain in the glittering dust of your lotus feet.
Praying that this offering is appropriate and worthy of your inspection.
Every year, come offering time,I question my motives ,qualifications and realizations.
I am attempting to offer you words that do justice in describing what a truly great personality you are!
Also I question how to phrase and place this offering to you.
This auspicious time is around again.The day that is totally dedicated to glorifying you. Of course everyday of the year is a chance to glorify you, but your appearance day is the pinicle.
The disciple needs to glorify the Guru for a few reasons-
- To continue in the vaisnava tradition of glorifying devotees which ultimately pleases Krsna
- To learn humility,submissiveness and gratitude and to humbly submit oneself at the lotus feet of the Spirtual Master.
- To assist in heralding to the world that a pure representative of a bonafide disciplic succession exists and is giving tickets back to Godhead.
- To give the Guru heartfelt praise and appreciation.
Our Bramha Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava line, since time immemorial,has been constituted with praise and appreciation for the Guru, who, without connection with, or the pleasing of, would be an essential missing element to a conditioned souls reconnection with the primeval cause of all causes, the original Supreme personality of Godhead, Bhagavan Sri Krsna.
Guru tattva is no trivial issue.
Many great personages in the four sampradayas throughout history have discussed, applauded, praised and concluded that the glories of Guru and his connection with Krsna are quintessential and tantamount to not only the students who are serious about enlightenment, but to all existence, all persons-nay-all living beings for ALL TIME.
Scriptures glorify the Guru in many ways, Gurus glorify Gurus in many ways, Sadhus glorify Gurus in many ways. So many nectarian statements of glorification for the Guru grace the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. Kings, polititicians, sages, mendicants, prostitutes, princes, jail keepers and many other types have praise and recognition for the Spiritual master directly or indirectly.
An interesting point to note in Guru tattva is the Guru's God like trait, as Caitya Guru, of finding the wayward disciple, in any millennia, any universe, at any time, and both externally and internally aiding the disciples free will to rear his choices, from there on in, back to God consciousness and back to home.
The Guru places the disciple,like a flower,into a garland of flowers and places that garland around his own Gurus neck.
On the strength of Guru's mercy one is carried home.
On the will and desire of Gurudev one is recommended to enter again into the Spirtual world.
The disciple must be humble and submissive,obedient and chaste.
Gurudev, your crystal clear, Krsna conscious presentation along with the stern, loving, caring demeanour of an ideal father prods this wayward, mad, rebellious aspiring disciple closer and closer to the Kingdom of that all attractive, all knowing, all famous, completely renounced, all powerful, dazzlingly gorgeous dark boy, Krsna.
Your words echo through my head, LOUD AND CLEAR.
Words packed with potency, cutting through the illusions that bewilder me.
Your words are like saffron particles that grace the feet of the Supreme Lord.
Those particles are the Spiritual Masters voice which awakens love of God in the heart of the disciple.
Everything you say about Krsna is laiden with realization and spiritual potency and these words, and nothing else, remain clear and are the guiding light for the lost soul whom you found somehow and somewhere drowning in material existence.
Desiring to please you
Knowing I cant fully repay you
Another prayer at your Lotus feet on this day
"Please bless me with understanding and ability to serve and please you, unconditionally"
Your worthless fool of an aspiring disciple
Khela-tirtha dasa
nama om visnu padaja krishna prestaja
bhutale srimate devamrita swami iti namine
pracare purvadaksianca bhakta cara pravinara paratata
pikarunja ya se sarve cate namaha
ofrezco mis mas humildes y respetuosas reverencias alas sombras de sus dignos pies de loto mi querido gurudeva usted que es muy querido por la suprema personalidad de dios y por los vaisnavas. En este día del aniversario de su aparición , agradezco a srila prabhupada a krishna por la misericordia que me dio al ponerlo en mi camino
mi querido padre
la primera ves que lo vi dije gracias krishna por haberme mandado a un alma auto realizada para que me ayude a ver el verdadero camino ya que estoy tan cubierta por maya y desde ese momento decidí servirlo y esperar siempre su misericordia a que me aceptara como su sirviente
mi querido padre , su mente esta siempre dirigida hacia la suprema personalidad de dios sin que se desvíe a nada. Con la compasión que usted tiene por todos nos enseña a cambiar el objetivo. que el deseo no puede ser negado , pero en el servicio devocional el deseo de complacer los sentidos se lleva al servicio del señor. tan solo por su misericordia mi querido padre podemos llegar a krishna
dándonos siempre su ejemplo e inspiración a seguir adelante , con determinación . es usted mi fuente de inspiración, enseñándome que es la verdadera asociación , la etiqueta a seguir , el comportamiento de un vaisnava, atravez de su ejemplo y siempre instruyéndonos a cooperar entre nosotros. es maya si peleamos y srila prabhupada dice que el peligro de pleitos entre nosotros es mucho peor que el peligro de nuestras luchas con los demonios ,permita me, mi querido padre, conservar esta instrucción en mi corazón y acciones, en un darsan que tuve con usted me ayudo mucho al instruirme que siempre me ponga en el lugar de la otra persona , aveces pienso pero es difícil , pero no es imposible
mi querido padre
cuando hay algo que me esta afligiendo tan solo por recordarlo se disipan todas mis aflicciones gracias por siempre estar protegiéndome y tan bien a todas las demás almas condicionadas como yo
en este día de su aparición, le oro a krishna como mi salvador ,por favor mi querido padre bendigame al permitirme permanecer siempre en su servicio devocional vida tras vida.
su aspirante a sirviente
kirtidevi devi dasi
Dear Gurumaharaja,
namo om visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrta swamin iti namine
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet on this
most auspicious anniversary of your appearance.
Vyasa Puja day is a chance to make an offering to the glorious personality
who represents Srila Vyasadeva. Guru is one principal but is manifested in
many. But among the many, there is one whom takes ultimate responsibility
for the disciple. This guru among others formalises, empowers, educates,
authorises and shapes the disciples spiritual progress under an emblem of
care and compassion which coaxes gently, but will ultimately drag the
disciple willing or not back to the eternal service of the Supreme Lord
Krishna by a combination of the above methods, and much more.
Gurumaharaja, I am conscious of the fact that I am a poor disciple of
yours, I am seriously lagging behind my godbrothers and sisters, I have
zero sincerity and I am lazy. But even though this is my condition, which
is pretty damning, you have so far refused to let me squander my good
fortune.
I have wandered all over this universe in inumerable bodies, sometimes
high, sometimes low, sometimes possessing great opulences, positions,
material bodies comprised of different predominating elements on different
planets accordingly, sometimes the winner or the loser, sometimes the
victim or the aggressor, sometimes right and sometimes wrong. But always
in maya, and always not where I really belong.
Somehow, now, by the grace of the Lord and His empowered servants, by the
Grace of Srila Prabhupada, I have been captured just when I was ready to
do another trillion loop da loops in samsara. I was captured and brought
into the association of devotees, and amongst these devotees I found you,
and simultaneously was found by you.
Gurumaharaja, your heart, your devotional conduct, your message, your
compassion, will be the primary force of transformation in my pityful
life. The grace which appears through the immediate causes of my
association with devotees, is granted by Krishna because I am favoured by
your acceptence of me as your aspiring disciple.
I believe that I am still an aspiring disciple because I am full of
faults. I have still to become full fixed on your instructions being the
fundamental components of my life and soul. You are supremely patient
because you still accept me despite this.
Dear Gurumaharaja, I always fall short in my attempt to glorify you. My
mission is to learn to act with such good conduct that my behaviour
glorifies you. I am still a baby in the devotional process and I pray to
continually receive your fatherly care in order to become an adult in
devotion to Sri Sri Radha Krishna and in service to their servants.
Please forgive my offenses,
your aspiring disciple,
Kishor Murti dasa
Dear Maharaj
Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet
All glories to Srila Prabhupad
We beg the blessings of our Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupad and Radha Vallaba for our humble attempts to glorify you on this occasion. Whatever I'm speaking here is by your grace....
As the commander in chief of the opposition I would like to address you all. Please remember we have to be clear about our mission in life 'Sense Gratification'. We have to understand ...Way on this side is Sense Gratification and Way on the Other Side is problems in life. When you see them separately, you win. This is our concept of 'Divide your vision to fulfil the mission'. Alright!
But hey!. We have got a very strong Opposition ... that's the Leader of the Hare's, his name is His Holiness Devamrita Swami ...when he is out there we got to be careful...
...Save your conditional life ... Save your Skin disease ...save your pockets .... Save your plans .....
This commander in chief is a Maha-Rathi .. he is both practical and powerful. He has his army dispersed all around the world. They consist of people from many walks of life. Did you know... he has people who were handi-capped and miserable that can't even move a small stick, they are now carrying mighty weapons
To save yourself we have to carefully study this leader of our enemy Camp.
He wonderfully nourishes his battalion by his glorious and expert practical guidance.
He is a fearless speaker of the truth. He gives them torches to see themselves and our soldiers. He is straight to the point of making them understand where they are and where we are. By his mercy they can discriminate and progress to the front-line very easily. Sometime although things are right in front of them they cannot see.. Ha!! ha!!. But..Mukham Karo thivachalam ..pangum langa...he gives them the vision.
Hez got a CEO view of the Krishna Consciousness movement. He has got the long-term vision, as this is a life-long battle. He has got a Global View and thus when he addresses, his crew is naturally humbled understanding their tiny position. In this way they all become very effective.
With Maha-Rathis like him, Mahaprabhu's movement is not going to stop. If they take part they are very fortunate. To take part they need his mercy.
He has appeared as MahaPrabhu's Battalion Leader. He is on the offensive side, fighting right in the front. As the Kshatria kings would face the battle before the soldiers.
His main Wing is Urban preaching.
On the sideline he also does some stunts on the wing of Overseas Indian preaching.
Mahaprabhu has armed him with various mighty weapons..
His humble mood is his chariot..
His craming of Srila Prabhupad's books are his armour guards..
His grave voice is like thunder bolts...
His practical words are like explosions in the heart...
His heartfelt kirtans are master blasters...
His piercing words are like rockets...
His Searching for Vedic India.. Whooh! thats a time bomb..
The loft is the new concept for an attack strategy
Urban Yoga is his hide & hit commando style approach
Cruise programs are water warfare
Retreats are like WMD's.. One shot, finish all
And IIT preaching is chemical warfare on the brainees
And you know what ... when it comes to personal meetings .. he has got the right Asthras for the right people. These are simple snake arrows and it's like the Asthra that Ashwatma shot, this goes straight to the living entity. But in this the soul is awakened to see the Lord.
Now in having speaking about this person we have decided to join his force ... and now we want to make a small vyasa puja offering ...
Maharaj, we can tell only after your glorious intervention a huge change happened to the student program and also in our personal lives. You have wonderfully encouraged and guided Nityananda Priya prabhu all this while. Like bees are attracted to honey, wonderful and sincere souls have been attracted by the fragrance and pulling power of your lotus feet.
We beg you to bless us to take humble positions as servants of these devotees who are attracted to you. With our envious hearts we are finding this is very difficult to do. Please help us to do this. Please make our hearts humble and tolerant to accept your mercy by serving these devotees as servants and not seeing us as masters.
You stress again and again on chanting attentively, at your every tour to Melbourne. But our foolish minds wander in the activities and pastimes of our own self. We beg you to bless us both to chant sincerely and attain a taste for the holy name by your grace. We also beg you to bless our child Rasika to be protected by devotional service from all sides.
One thing I know is.. Pleasing you is pleasing our Temple President, Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupad and Radha Vallaba. We are very happy to have someone like you working closely with our community leaders here for our purification.
Maharaj, thank you for your kind care and concern on us. And also thanks for inspiring us through your sweat-shed lectures. We beg you to kindly guide us more and more.
We beg to uplift us and protect us through your prayers and bind tightly us at the feet of the devotees of Sri Sri Radha Vallabha.
Your Servants
Kripa Sindhu Das and Ayodhya Rani Devi Dasi (Melbourne)
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto pi
dhyayan stuvams tasya yasas tri-sandhyam
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam
By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master. (Sri Sri Gurv-astaka, Verse 8, Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura)
By your mercy we have received the benediction of chanting the holy name seriously, attentively - that's the goal, the standard you've set for us. By your mercy we have received the benediction of taking shelter of Prabhupada's books, in this dark dense Kali-yuga age; it soothes the mind and heart of aches and pains. By your mercy we have received the benediction of devotee association, the safety net that stops us from falling into the clutches of Mayadevi. By your grace we continue in our endeavor to become Krishna conscious and become purely your instruments for spreading Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement.
Gurudeva you're so expert in preaching according to time, place and circumstance, your plans are so brilliant. Gurudeva you're so kind and compassionate, you always see the good in us conditioned souls and extract whatever ability we may have to engage in Krishna's pleasure, like a bumble bee extracting pollen from a flower to make honey.
Guru Maharaja, thank you for pushing me to try and do more for Krishna. Please give me the spiritual strength to carry out your instructions faithfully.
Your servant,
Krishna Murari dd
Dear Guru Maharaja,
please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Let me congratulate you with this joyful radiant Day of your appearance! I wish you health and strength for service to the lotus feet of your dear spiritual master Srila Prabhupada! May you stay on this planet as long as possible giving your wonderful seminars, as long as your dear spiritual master Srila Prabhupada wishes!
Please teach us the same devotion, sincerity and steadiness in devotional service that you have toward your spiritual master.
Srimad-Bhagavatam says (5.18.11) "By associating with persons for whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, is the all in all, one can hear of His powerful activities and soon come to understand them. The activities of Mukunda are so potent that simply by hearing of them one immediately associates with the Lord." Thank you for your causeless mercy that you are giving us. Because of your association we are able advance on the path back home, back to Krishna.
Dear Guru Maharaja, please give me your blessings that my desire to chant attentively become very strong and sincere in my heart.
Your servant,
Krishna Rupa devi dasi, Saint-Petersburg (Russia)
My beloved Guru Maharaja!
Let me offer my humble obeisances at your lotus feet on this the most auspicious day of your Vyasapuja.
All glories to you, the intimate servant of Srila Prabhupada!
I always remember how on one of your lectures you mentioned that one should never put away Krishna consciousness for future, that this is the biggest mistake the person can make. Remembering this gave me inspiration and final realization that NOW IS THE TIME to do something significant.
I had this great desire to offer you something unique on this year Vyasapuja. A gift that would make you smile; a gift that you could present further to Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet; a gift that would please your
compassionate heart - I wanted to offer you a report of opening the preaching center in Las Vegas.
My plans however have been shattered due to the circumstances beyond my control and we are not yet in the official possession of the space Lord Krishna has chosen for His preaching spiritual oasis.
You know very well, my dear Guru Maharaja, that establishing a center here was a great desire of my good husband and myself from the very beginning we came to Las Vegas. Somehow the circumstances we were in did not allow us to fulfilled this desire immediately but the sweet contemplation of it was never estinquished and finally it bears fruit by your causless mercy.
WE HAVE FOUND A PLACE FOR A CENTER! And are in the process of leasing arrangements. The humble desire to serve Krishna and your lotus feet gave us strength and inspiration to realize this project. The location of the place is very convenient, almost central and by the airport, just 3 min from my husband's work and about 10 min from our house. It is beautifully situated in a masterly designed business park, by the very busy intersecton of major streets in Las Vegas with estimated traffic of 50,000 cars per day, not far from the university. Across the street is Sunset Park, the biggest park in Las Vegas area and gathering place for many Las Vegans - for us the future site of Rathayatra festival.
Together with few of our members, we decided to call it Govinda's Center of Vedic India. The center is small but cozy; it is about 512sf. Enough for the beginning, so we want be stressed too much financially. By Krishna's mercy we negotiated very low price per sf. and we are signing 3 year lease.
Our plan is to have it open 5 nights a week, Wed-Sun, 6:00PM till 9:00PM perhaps, with 2 programs. On Thursdays a smaller program and on Sundays our traditional Feast Program. We have a website online at www.Govindascenter.com. It is still under construction.
Humbly bowing down at your lotus feet, I am presenting you this project on your Vyasapuja. Please kindly accept it as an offering of love and bestow your blessings upon us so this project is successful and prosperious in
Krishna's mission of spreading His glories in Las Vegas.
Your insignificant servant,
Krishna-mayi dd with my good husband
nama om visnu padaya krsna prestaya bhutale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purve dakyam ca bhakta cara pravinata
parartathapi karunya yasya sarve ca te namo namah
My dear Gurdev,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupad and all glories unto you.
On this auspicious day I would like to sincerely thank you for what you have given us. Actually speaking we are always indebted to you, for the good fortune you have kindly given us.
What is good fortune?
Is it getting a comfortable house, next to the heavenly sunny beach?
Is it getting PhD scholarship? Is it getting high corporate career? Or perhaps be rich, handsome, get a good family etc etc.
According to the verdict of the sastra, one is not considered fortunate based on things mentioned above. The scriptures mention who are considered fortunate:
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. [Cc. Madhya 19.151]
Being the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna is our original constitutional position. But because of our rebellious nature we have forgotten it. We therefore act as independent controllers and enjoyers opposing the all-blissful Supreme Lord and this has created our misfortune from time immemorial. Nevertheless the all-merciful Supreme Lord, out of compassion for the jivas, sends continuously His very intimate and dear servant to save us from our fallen condition. Though the Supreme Lord can do it Himself, He nevertheless gets His very dear servants to do the special missionary service so that the full credit can be given to His dear servant.
One day it so happened that I met one nice person whose name is Ratnam. We were on the way to the farm for the retreat along with other students. A very lively discussion broke out in the small van. Ratnam was helping me explain the process of Krishna Consciousness to the new inquisitive students. This was my first time I met and spoke to Ratnam. I was very surprised the way he presented Krishna Consciousness to them. So I asked him about his life and how he got to know about Krishna. He mentioned that he was invited for the 2nd boat cruise which was held at Melbourne, and he had the opportunity for the first time to associate and hear from you, Gurudev. He became so serious from then, though he barely went to the temple but he would always associate with you through hearing your lectures and this kept him interested and deepened his Krishna Consciousness. When I heard this I immediately could see the potency of Sadhu sanga and a verse came in my memory.
sadhu-sanga', 'sadhu-sanga'—sarva-sastre kaya lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya
The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success. [Cc. Madhya 22.54]
I personally remember when I initially was introduced to you by my Gurukul principle " Vedasara Prabhu " and you had agreed to look after me. But for some unfortunate reason I never kept in touch with you. So I went to my uncles home for holidays, there I faced a real test. My uncles tried to allure me by saying that I would get all material asset and qualification if I went under their wings, but on condition that I gave up all connection to Krishna.
This was a shocking decision for me.
Later I was determined to remain in association with devotees and continue Krishna Consciousness. But who was there to help? Whom could I trust? These were doubts hovering in my mind. So I just e-mailed you for the first time and there I got the true assurance and all the help to remain in devotee association by your kind and quick reply.
Srila Prabhupad mentions in Bhagavad gita 4.34 purport, "Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life". I hope I can take this instruction to my heart and make it my life's goal.
If there is any credit in my execution of devotional service, it fully goes to you, Gurudev.
Please forgive me for any offenses I may have committed unto you.
Hoping to remain your servant
Krishnagraja das
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Another year has passed, and still I don't have the slightest idea on how to write just a few words of gratitude.
As each year goes by, I realize more and more how important it is to have a Spiritual Master, and not just any Spiritual Master, the best Spiritual Master. How could I function without trying to please you. Without your instructions and your super caring, inspiring nature I would still be left rotting in the depths of Kali yuga.
I see your great desire to be the humble servant of the servant. The way you want to please Srila Prabhupada by fulfilling all of his desires. Gaura Yoga and Gaura Haven are prime examples of this.
You are making unlimited opportunities for service in these two projects. Thank you so much for the opportunity to try and plug in all I can to help with the whole Wellington scene. There is so much potential with Gaura Haven it is overwhelming. I hope to be a big part of this project, if that is your desire.
Thank you so much Gurudeva for being the best Spiritual Master. Please let me humbly serve you to my fullest extent, and help in your mission to serve Srila Prabhupada.
Your servant of a servant,
Krsna Prasada das.
nama om vishnu padaya Krishna prasthaya bhutale
srimate Devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisences on this most auspicious occasion of your vyasa puja.
One time I forgot to get you a sitting mat and small prasadam table for your prasadam and as I was about to go and get it you said "No need to go, i will just make use of whatever is available" ; and you just sat on the floor and took prasad. It was such a shameful and embarrassing situation for me to see my beloved spiritual master take prasad sitting on the floor; however by doing so you taught me such a valuable lesson.
You revealed to me your expertise in using every situation in Krsna's service. Following in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada you are also so kind & expert in engaging every living and non living being that comes in contact with you in Krsna's service.
You are always so merciful to highlight any tiny good thing we may do in our service and you are constantly guiding us on how to improve and increase. Quite often I have felt so embarrassed, confused & guilty that I am not rendering any useful service to you and Srila Prabhupada; but still you always encourage me and highlight on how to be a better servant.
Guru maharaj my desire and prayer is that somehow or other I can be more useful tool in your hands to be used in Krsna's service.
Your Servant
Krsna katha dasa
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you on the auspicious day of your appearance
Sometimes when reading Srila Prabhupada's books the penny drops and you get some realization of what he is saying.
"As long as one is unable to stop the desire for material enjoyment, there is no possibility of becoming liberated from the entanglement of material existence. It may be argued that the waves of the rivers are incessantly flowing and that they cannot be stopped, but the waves of the river flow toward the sea. When the tide comes over the river, it overwhelms the flowing of the river, and the river itself becomes overflooded, and the waves from the sea become more prominent than the waves of the river. Similarly, a devotee with intelligence plans so many things for the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness that stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord"
Srimad Bhagavatam 4.22.39 pp
Upon reading this purport it struck me what you are doing.
In America Srila Prabhupada tuned into the scene and took advantage for Krsna. In the same way you have tuned into the scene in New Zealand by introducing yoga in your centers, teaching us the art of organic cultivation "we make it easy" and thereby giving many people the chance to associate with devotees and in that way take up Krsna consciousness - also an ingenious way to pay the bills! You said in one lecture that you don't want devotees to be in financial anxiety; this is one of many examples that demonstrate your care for the devotees.
Recently in Wellington you shared with us your observation that the religion in clean green organic New Zealand is "Sustainable living, Environmental Consciousness and Organics" and you are steering the preaching in that way. Because of your desire we will have Gaura Haven which will attract more conditioned souls - the eco conscious cult followers; simultaneous vegetable and bhakta cultivation. Another example of your expertise of being tuned in.
You are tuned into what is best for preaching just as Srila Prabhupada was and at the same time you are engaging many in the service of the Lord by giving us a mission and also teaching us how to engage others in Srila Prabhupada's mission. What is the result? "A devotee with intelligence plans so many things for the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness that stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord".
You are so expert in engaging and guiding your disciples in the service of Krsna that not only do we have little time to think about material desires, but we are willing to invest because of being so driven by your inspiration, your exemplary qualities, your compassion, your selflessness, your enthusiasm and your dedication to spreading Krsna consciousness.
You told me once "love means practical activities of spreading Krsna consciousness - not just a warm fuzzy feeling". So you are engaging us in practical activities and only by your mercy will our stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord.
Thank you for impressing upon this fallen soul the practicalities of life.
your servant,
Krsnaloka devi dasi
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Hare Krishna!
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
I congratulate You on the day of Your Vyasa-puja. All glories to the spiritual master!
The spiritual master is simple and grand. He is a friend of all people. He directs to a new path, the path of realization of the Absolute Truth. He makes all dificulties easier and lightens the futur. He has the best gifts. His heart is eager to get in touch with souls consonant with his soul and to share the spiritual wealth. Only by the mercy of the spiritual master, one can get Krishna's benediction. Spiritual master's life in preaching is wonderful and selfless!
Larisa
Russia, Severodvinsk
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please, accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Lord Krishna's devotees!
I have just come back from a very warm festival in the Black sea, where, despite incredible changes for the best, my soul could sing only remembering Your Holiness. There were a lot of things that reminded of what a sweet association You were giving. I am worrying about Your health, though completely convinced that Your soul is healthy and young.
It is shining like a lighthouse for me, so I constantly can see where to go.
I constantly remember Your instructions and Your inspiring words towards me.
Thank You for my happy life in KC:
For a so incredibly valuable association that You give to me by Your mercy; For all the unique meeting that my destiny gives me by Your mercy; For the intimate knowledge of Srila Prabhupada's books that are opening to me just by Your mercy; For the opportunity to serve the devotees day and night, also to the Holy Name and Your Holiness, without Your mercy I do not have any qualities for this; For the minutes of revelation, which deprive me of sleep and peace, but give that much of love, which is possible to get only by Your mercy; For the opportunity to be able, to want and to love to be proud of You, as You are an example of devotion, humbleness, cleanness, tactfulness, advertence, compassion, care, unselfishness and emotional love for the Lord.
Thank You for everything. This day I am applying to Srila Prabhupada with a very humble request to bless You, though, He, for sure, has done it, because Your eyes provide the same shining as His.
Your servant Lavanya-sar dd, Omsk city.
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
Hearing Krsna's glories and preaching Krsna's glories; many of us find this austere, but for you, prati ksanasvadana-lolupasya, you are relishing this. I'm nothing without you Gurudeva. I am like a dying patient in hospital and you are the life support machine which is keeping me alive.
I am rotting in this material existence, like a dried up plant without water, but fortunately, tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam, you are a cloud which is raining mercy upon me. I am in a dehydrated condition, but you are krpa-sindhu, the ocean of mercy which is giving me life.
My mind is a reservoir of false prestige; yet, every time I speak with you, you skillfully slice away my pride with a sword of sakti; your glance alone can make the most puffed up fool feel like an insignificant ant. Only an exalted Vaisnava who possesses immense potency has the ability to curb one's pride simply by glancing upon them. Even my feeble attempt to glorify you is a humbling experience; how can I glorify you when I don't even know the extent of your glories?!
You are an uttama-adhikari whose only business is to spread the Sankirtana movement, therefore you are fit to liberate all three worlds, so it is not a big deal for you to save this one fallen soul, but I am just surprised because I am so insignificant.
It is very difficult for new devotees to take up preaching work, but you have such a strong desire that anyone who comes in contact with you automatically desires to assist your preaching.
When Janananda Goswami visited the Loft centers he said:
"to have so many women living under one roof, engaged in preaching everyday is practically unheard of in ISKCON, this can only mean one thing; that the person organising this is incredibly Krsna conscious".
That exalted personality he was glorifying is you, Srila Gurudeva.
Your desire to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books is so strong that in a short time you have manifested a brahmacari asrama dedicated to sankirtana. These things are all expansions of your mercy Gurudeva; no one can take any credit for these achievements but yourself.
You are such a pure unalloyed devotee that Krsna is just waiting to fulfill your desires; this is because your only desires are to spread the glories of Krsna and anyone who looks at the results of your preaching can verify this self evident truth.
Caitanya Caritamrta states that "one cannot spread the holy name of Krsna without being specifically empowered by Lord Krsna" (C.C Antya 7.11)
In a Caitanya Caritamrta purport Srila Prabhupada says:
"without being empowered by the direct potency of Krsna to fulfill his desire and without being specifically favoured by the Lord, no human can become the Spiritual Master of the world... only an empowered personality can distribute the Holy Name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krsna... such a Spiritual Master should be considered non-different from Krsna; that is, he should be considered the incarnation on the Lords potency. Such a personality is krsnalingita-vigraha- that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. (Madhya 25.9 purport)
Prabhupada has stated that the preacher who comes for the service of the Lord cannot be expected to conform to a stereotype, for he must find the ways and means by which Krsna Consciousness may be spread This you have clearly shown through your Loft preaching, a paradigm which even Srila Prabhupada adopted when he was preaching through his own Loft centers when he first came to New York. Bhaktivinoda Thukura has said that an uttama-adhikari can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaisnavism. If one simply looks at all the devotees you have made in your short time preaching in New Zealand they will clearly see the magnitude of your potency.
Prahlada Maharaja has prayed,
"My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?" (S.B 7.9.28)
You have made elaborate plans how to reclaim the lost fallen souls and it is my duty to simply assist you in your preaching work, thank you for giving me such an opportunity.
In one Bhaktivedanta purport it is written:
"A joker's activities simply arouse laughter, and a person who tries to repay the spiritual master or teacher of the transcendental message of Krsna becomes a laughingstock just like a joker because it is not possible to repay such a debt."(S.B 4.22.47)
You saved my life Gurudeva, therefore my body has been sold to you, but I cannot think of anyone more qualified to sign my life over to than you Srila Gurudeva.
Your servant,
Mahanila das
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your merciful lotus feet.
All glories to ISKCON's founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada.
As my spiritual "teenage years" approach, I'm realizing more than ever that I'm fighting a determined battle with impersonal contamination. What do I mean by impersonal contamination? As Srila Prabhupada explained many times, the impersonalists have no genuine love for guru or Krishna, but try to use both as a lever with which to achieve their own purposes, disguising their duplicity in a so-called "spiritual" way for a so-called "spiritual" end.
In a recent lecture you superbly explained this subject matter in both philosophical and practical modern devotional contexts. Using Lord Caitanya's meeting with the mayavadis of Varanasi as your point of sastric reference, you expertly delivered a divinely inspired contemporary purport to my disease - nirvisesa-sunyavadi - as well as the perfect Krishna conscious cure.
Impersonalism, as Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita, arises due to fear, which is generated ultimately from ignorance of His all-attractive supreme personality. In your enlightening commentary on this phenomenon, you explained how even though equipped with Vedic study, austerity and detachment from karmic endeavors, the impersonalists are prohibited from entering into the genuine Vedic education which would cure their diseased mentality because of a lack of the preliminary qualification for receiving such. You explained:
"He (Lord Caitanya) entered very humbly, and sat down in the place where feet are washed. In other words He's teaching the mayavadis, the first thing is humility. Without humility you'll never understand transcendental knowledge, you'll never understand Vedanta."
Expanding on this theme, you then proceeded to illustrate how Lord Caitanya, upon being challenged by Prakasananda Sarasvati regarding His absorption in the sankirtan movement and apparent neglect of Vedanta study, "personally" taught the mayavadis how to treat their disease at the root:
"What was Lord Caitanya's response? Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana, 'My dear sir, kindly hear the reason.' In other words, 'hear why I'm chanting and dancing - My spiritual master considered Me a fool, and therefore he chastised Me.' Lord Caitanya is teaching, one should always be the humble servant of one's spiritual master and always think oneself humble and unqualified, then you can understand Vedanta. Not that with an arrogant attitude you're going to understand spiritual knowledge."
You then read from Srila Prabhupada's purport to the following verse, which amplifies the importance of the parampara system:
"Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja comments in this connection, one can become perfectly successful in the mission of his life if he acts exactly according to the words he hears from the mouth of his spiritual master. This acceptance of the words of the spiritual master is called srauta-vakya, which indicates that the disciple must carry out the spiritual master's instructions without deviation. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks in this connection that a disciple must accept the words of his spiritual master as his life and soul. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu here confirms this by saying that since His spiritual master ordered Him only to chant the holy name of Krishna, He always chanted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra according to this direction ('krishna-mantra' japa sada,-ei mantra-sara)...Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna, the spiritual master of the entire universe, He nevertheless took the position of a disciple in order to teach by example how a devotee should strictly follow the orders of a spiritual master in executing the duty of always chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra."
-Cc. Adi 7.72 purport
You then gave this essential Vaisnava siddhanta an even more contemporary context, explaining it in relation to ISKCON:
"So, Srila Prabhupada would always say that he had no mystic power other than he simply took the words of his spiritual master as his life and soul. His spiritual master told him to spread Krishna consciousness in the Western world - to write and distribute books - and he said 'I'm doing that. That is my only secret of success.'"
You continued reading form Srila Prabhupada's purport:
"Only fools give up the service of the spiritual master and think themselves advanced in spiritual knowledge."
You went on to explain how an immature candidate for bhakti, due to impersonal contamination, can misunderstand the importance of this essence of Krishna conscious advancement:
"You may say 'Well who would ever do such a thing like that?' Not so much when you're a young devotee, but as you become older in years in Krishna consciousness you can start thinking 'Yeah I know everything, I'm doin' pretty good, I know how to take care of myself - why should I continue to think I need guidance? I need supervision?' These are the 'teenage years' in Krishna consciousness (Laughter). 'When I was a younger devotee in my infancy, yes, I needed parental guidance, but now I'm a teenager, I've been around 10 years, 15 years, so I can take care of myself. I can take the car out for a night on the town (Laughter). I've got my driver's license. Doesn't that certify that I've attained a level of independence?'"
Your parental concern, coming from decades of pure devotional dedication and experience manifested thus:
"I've seen great contributors of service to Krishna consciousness, when they hit their teenage years, make this mistake and down they go. I have seen. One must always keep this attitude, as Srila Prabhupada describes in this purport, and when you get to your 'teenage years' in Krishna consciousness, understand the symptoms of that age. You want to throw off all guidance and supervision."
You then mercifully explained the enemy's different manifestations and permutations according to various asramas:
"It can happen to anyone in any asrama. In the grhasta asrama, if you're working, living in your home, the world pushes you to 'be your own person,' whatever that means, to be self determining, and so you can just start to think 'Why do I have to take guidance? You know, I have my house, I have my wife, there are children, it's obvious, I know everything' (Laughter). It all adds up right? Or, as a sannyasi, you can think 'Oh, I have been in the renounced order so many years. Why do we have to adhere so tightly to Prabhupada's instructions? We are now paramahamsas. It's time for us to make our own path. Yes, Prabhupada would want us to do that'" (Laughter).
"So these are the 'teenage years,' and I have seen cases of devotees who, in their teenage years become bewildered. They prematurely declare themselves as 'spiritual leaders,' but they haven't mastered humility and therefore, down they go - punar musiko - again become a mouse. We don't want to make that mistake."
Revealing the unparalleled value of Srila Prabhupada's purports in this regard for the sincere serious sadhaka you explained:
"So this is the impersonal contamination of one who falls victim to the spiritual teenage years, and therefore we have these purports to guide us."
You continued reading:
"Only fools give up the service of the spiritual master and think themselves advanced in spiritual knowledge. In order to check such fools, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself presented the perfect example of how to be a disciple."
-Cc. Adi 7.72 purport
Your conclusion?
"Just see how merciful Krishna is!"
"A spiritual master knows very well how to engage each disciple in a particular duty, but if a disciple, thinking himself more advanced than his spiritual master, gives up his orders and acts independently, he checks his own spiritual progress. Every disciple must consider himself completely unaware of the science of Krishna and must always be ready to carry out the orders of the spiritual master to become competent in Krishna consciousness."
-Cc. Adi 7.72 purport
I am eternally grateful for your transcendental parenting, and I pray to your lotus feet on this holy day, that for your service I may pass smoothly through my spiritual "teenage years" and become your mature and faithful son in Krishna consciousness.
Mahavan das.
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances,all glories to Srila Prabhupada & all glories to you.
Thank you so much Gurudeva for giving me the shade of your lotus feet & opening my dull mind to see the way threw this place of misery.
Your potency is so powerful that even such a condition wretched person as me can be given the realization & taste that we have a home to go to & The Supreme Person is there. How can I ever understand how compassionate you have been to me, I can't really. I hold you very close to my heart and desire that in someway I can please you.
Your last visit to Auckland was so pleasing as I was able to relish your class & kirtan more than ever. You looked so effulgent that I just could not stop smiling, your purity is so attractive, thank you for giving me a glimpse of your divine qualities.
Your eternal servant,
Mangal Vaisnava das
Dearest Guru Maharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to your lotus feet
It is said that
guru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane
guru-rupe krsna krpa karena bhakta-gane
According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Krsna. Lord Krsna in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees. This is so true Guru Maharaj. This year you bestowed upon my fallen self the ultimate benediction when you visited Toronto and gave me a chance to do some small service. Only you Guru Maharaj could shower such mercy on such undeserving candidate because you are non-different from Krsna.
Dear Guru Maharaj today on your glorious appearance day I remember and miss you so much. I am so unfortunate that I am unable to serve you in any way or get your association.
I read that ' The service of the spiritual master is essential. If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. '
When you were here this year you were so merciful as to share with us a dream of yours that devotees have their own preaching centre at Yonge and Bloor where we could invite and cultivate guests. Your words are my life and soul but I have no ability to do anything on my own. I am just trying to crawl and stumble at every turn. Gurudev, I pray unto your lotus feet that please give me some minute ability to actually act on your instructions. Nothing is possible without your desire and sanction. Please help me Guru Maharaj and use me for some service to your lotus feet.
Dear Gurudev, I try to remember a verse in the prayers of Prahlad Maharaj that I have heard you quote:
aham tv akamas tvad-bhaktas
tvam ca svamy anapasrayah
nanyathehavayor artho
raja-sevakayor iva
O my Lord, I am your unmotivated servant, and You are my eternal master. There is no need of our being anything other than master and servant. You are naturally my master, and I am naturally your servant. We have no other relationship.
Remembering these prayers I pray 'Dear Guru Maharaj, O Master, O lord, please give this servant of yours some service and some ability to serve you. I have not seen Giriraj Govardhan or gone on Vraja Mandala parikrama or even smelt the dust of Sree dham Mayapur. All of these holy dhams reside in service to your lotus feet. Please engage me in your service.'
Your humble servant
Mangala Arati devi dasi
Please Accept My humble Obeisances
All glories to you, Devmrita Swami
My guiding light and refuge,
I feel as if I am in the arid desert of your missed association. That across this vast globe of mother Bhumi there are verdant swaths of vibrant bhaki springing up in you wake. Yet I walk windswept amongst the browned dried thistles. I see my reflection in the grease slick that is my water whole and know why I am not a cow of those pastures. The heights of academia seem like bright pin points in the icy sky, light years away from where I stand. I kick around a Highschool diploma and tout no significant accolades of spiritual education either. Failing to complete the first canto of the Srimad Bagavatam what to speak of the C.C. or other exalted literatures I feel the lame dumb step daughter in a family of PhD's. I make no significant offering to your Guru, Srila Prabhupada in the way of spreading the glories of Krsna. Thus I have very little value as an aspiring disciple (deeply sorry). I am in actuality worthless except, I hope, as a mother to my son and wife to my husband. Why, don't I just let go? Considering how pathetic I am, surviving on just a few merger rounds a day. Why don't I just throw in the towel and just be the materialist that I am?
When I ask myself this I have visions of a Christchurch stair case leading up to my first darshan with you and an event that has made it impossible for me to give up on Krsna. As a yank back packer in the land of N.Z. I had heard that these Swamis were Spiritual Masters guiding the ignorant into Knowledge. In hearing this my eyes would roll and my lips smirk. I feel as if I should now inform you that this memory is steeped in impersonal and egocentric overtones. So please bare with me now, for that is who I was then and thus the filter through which this prized memory was stored.
As I ascended the stairs I silently huffed thinking to my self that anyone who believed they had "The Answers" was a person who knew none. I was excited for a challenge and had my list of profound questions in hand. Having grown up in a Gurdjieffian community I had been taught that questions were the real spiritual currency earned through experiences. The more profound your question the more enlightened you were. I was going to try, what I may, to blow the socks of this Swami with a bit of my own profundity. Mostly defiant and partly honest seeker, I was shown a door on the other side of which, in my memory, was a large room. That may only have been an impression due to the lack of furniture. There was a bench pushed up against the long north wall and a chair centered between two windows on the shorter east wall. There you sat, flanked by an orange sentinel standing in the south east corner cloaked in shadow dew to the brightness of the light streaming in the windows. I didn't know where to sit so I stood there stupidly (not the way I had planed on presenting myself) until the orange shadow motioned me to sit down on the floor in front of you. You seemed to noticed my uncomfortable decent down into a tight ungraceful sitting position and suggested I could move to the impractically placed bench. I decided to remain sitting, in hopes that it may in some way indicate that I was spiritual person.
Sitting there, my bulky ski racing legs falling asleep, I began to pose all my deep and profound questions to you. Thinking of course that you would be impressed and engaged in my insightfulness and awareness. While I, of course, was expecting long winded spiritual answers that I would be able to see the fallacies in. But this is not at all what transpired. You would listen very graciously and then in very succinct answers show me that these were not Spiritual questions at all. My wide open ended profound questions would meet there demise at the simple slashing of your mater of fact practical answers. Bewilderment seemed to be mixing my mind around and I couldn't maintain my haughty bull dog attitude. "My lofty spiritual questions were actually material banter?" I thought to myself "How could these things he was saying be the answers? they are not even poetic paradoxes." I couldn't really hear what you were saying any more. I was just spewing out my last feeble attempts at profundity per your request until you were sure that my Swami-asking-to-do-list was finished.
I sat there flipping my list around trying to some how navigate the fog in my brain. When you said something as clear as anything I have ever heard, I looked up and it felt as if the interior of the room had some how changed. The light was brighter and the dark denser. You looked at me with an urgent and somewhat aggressive expression, and said "what are you doing bothering with all this nonsense? Why are you doing this when there Is a flood of love of godhead happening right now?" I think you raised your hand as if to indicate outside the window, and images of the ordinary people of Christchurch being swept up in a golden surge of LOVE seemed to play across my eyes. You continued looking at me as if my brain were made of wood and said, "There is a whole ocean of mercy, an Ocean Of Mercy ! And the flood of love of godhead all around us right now, coming directly from Krsna Himself. Why wouldn't you want to tap into THAT?
I just sat there.......stunned at being so unexpectedly inspired. Not knowing that my life pursuits had just changed in that instant.
conversation resumed with a much tamer tone and fewer words on my part. Now infused with the desire to know how to "tap in to that...Krsna", I listened.
"Try to chant sixteen rounds and come see me in the morning" you said
The next morning I showed up and you asked "soooooooo, did you chant?
"Yes"
"how many"
"16"
Finally, I thought, I had impressed the Swami!!!
I have been on a long and winding path since that day in New Zealand. But that conversation continues to be a beacon in my life. I long for the day when I can get myself together enough to be of real service to you. And right or wrong I still have the desire to impress you. I am not sure how spiritual that is. And it is a tall order to fulfill coming from me, a decidedly unimpressive person/ "daughter". I am ever indebted to you for your bringing me to Krsna and for accepting me again after wandering astray.
I here and now and always offer my "Obeisance to you who have all the qualities of unique skill in preaching, competence in Vaishnava dealings, selflessness, and compassion."
forever indebted
Bhaktin Mani manjari dd
om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
chaksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah
nama om visnu padaya krsna prestaya bhutale
srimate Devamrta swamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurudev,
A year has passed since I wrote my first vyasa puja offering for you.
I still remember the first time I heard you speak. Italy, 2003 Pandava Sena trip. I remember how expertly you took the highest of knowledge and made it practical and applicable. Using everything from Jimi Hendrix to the Matrix, you kept us in stitches and enlivened our dormant Krishna Consciousness.
Now, 4 years on, you continue to expertly preach the most complex of topics in the most effective way. Through your mercy and instructions, I've experienced aspects of Srila Prabhupada's movement in lots of exciting and unexpected ways!
You instructed me to continue in teaching and use the skills I learn in teaching Krishna Consciousness. I am still teaching for West Herts College and the University of Hertfordshire. In both area's I have increased my hours and learned more about modern day teaching. Through my spiritual teaching, I have lead courses at Bhaktivedanta Manor and developed new courses. I've also had the honour of working closely with HG Urmila Mataji on a number of her projects.
You also instructed me to read and teach Srimad Bhagavatam. I am currently near the end of the third Canto. I always enjoy your classes and how you lovingly speak about this divine scripture
I pray that I have been able to please you in some small way with my endeavours. You always say you need to be where the 'action' is. I pray that we are always able to bring enough action to always attract and please you!
Your aspiring servant
Manish Gadhvi
Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances on this most auspicious day, your Vyasa-puja. I wish you all the best including good health and surrendered disciples so that you can push ahead strongly in the service of your spiritual master.
Thank you for all your care and effort for the upliftment of your disciples and everyone else. You constantly preach to us and spend time with us thus having hardly any time for anything else. Still, that "everything else" is also put into motion by you; nothing gets neglected, forgotten or overlooked. You truly manifest the selflessness and expertise of the Vaishnava. I don't know how you do these. I bow down in front of you astonished (as well as embarrassed by the lack of my good qualities).
Your aspiring servant,
Mantramala
Dear Gurumaharaj
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
On this momentous occasion of your Vyasapuja - thank you so much.
How will I ever begin to understand the dimensions of who you are and what you are doing for me? How to try to put that all into words?
You came in the form of your words to save me from the precarious spiral downwards that I was caught in, after who knows how many painful lifetimes before this one. Krishna's mercy of transformation is coming through you, changing me in such a way that I don't recognise myself anymore!
Throughout all the new and challenging situations I have found myself in since then, your words have been an instant and enduring source of inspiration and realization, always directing back to the scriptures and Srila Prabhupada.
How absolutely expert you are at preaching according to time, place and circumstance, giving Krishna Consciousness in such a way that persons can take it up with ease, exposing the essence what the (from the Western 'civilized' view) 'strange' Vedic culture is directed towards.
So much so, that sincere persons can make astounding advancement in spite of sitting on chairs, not the floor, using forks, and not the right hand, toilet paper, not the left hand, carpets, not tiles and healthy prasadam, not all the rest.
The emphasis being on the things that make the real change - attentive japa, two hours reading, senior devotee mentors, healthy living, separate living for men and ladies, profuse and structured opportunities to preach and distribute books, devotee association and encouragement to learn new skills and refine and polish these, all accompanied by your personal guidance.
Please allow me to see what is blocking my advancement and give me the courage to work at it and surrender. Without you there is no way I can escape material life and by your mercy alone can I become a servant in the line of servants serving Krishna. Please help me to accept that you care, that Krishna cares and that therefore I too have to care.
Thank you for mercifully giving me the opportunity to try and assist you in distributing books.
By your mercy may my gratitude not end in words but rather in action.
You inspire persons to increase their devotional service - that's how New Zealand was 5th in world book distribution.
You inspire me to want to sacrifice for Krishna, the Person I can't remember having ever known, but whose factuality is confirmed by the way you live your life.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhaktin Marie
nama om visnu-padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate devamrta swamin iti namine
pracare purva daksyam ca bhaktacara pravinitah
paratatapi karunyam yasya sarve ca te namah
nama om visnu-padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine
Dear Gurudeva
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
How grateful I am to be where I am! Last year at this auspicious time of the year, I had just arrived at the Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir Temple. I was the new kid in town. Joining my god-brothers and god-sisters, I realized that even though I didn't know them personally, I knew we all shared something greater in common. We all love our Guru Maharaja, and we all feel so blessed to be under his shelter. This year again, I've just arrived in a new city, ready for some action on the battlefield. I feel so happy to be here. You do keep me on my toes! You have a certain gift to know exactly what we need to grow organically in Krsna consciousness. Again I'm surrounded by many dedicated devotees. The atmosphere here is very nice because your mercy is behind it all. It is a happy atmosphere.
It is said in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu that: "Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest, because it is eternal."(p10) Not that I'm practicing pure devotional service but with your mercy only, I aspire to someday attain that platform, un-tinged of any material selfish desires.
Gurudeva, you are attracting a whole new generation of people to Lord Caitanya's Sankirtan movement. Something sublime is happening and everything you do is so intelligent and precise. It's very inspiring. Since I came to my senses over two years ago, I've seen many new faces turn to Krsna Consciousness, with great enthusiasm. People are finding that true happiness does exist in this world.
Again, if we look at the stupendous Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu it is said:
"(...) the happiness derived from devotional service in Krsna consciousness is so transcendental and so unlimited that no other happiness can compare to it. It is said that even one drop of happiness in Krsna consciousness stands beyond comparison with an ocean of happiness derived from any other activity. Thus, any person who has developed even a little quantity of pure devotional service can very easily kick out all the other kinds of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation." (p13)
Guru Maharaja, I'm so grateful to have you as my spiritual master. Your happiness and drive is contagious. It seems that every time I meet you, I learn something new or I realize so many things about devotional life. It is ever fresh. You make me want to be the best person I can be to fulfill Srila Prabhupada's vision of a Krsna consciousness society. I want to be the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant, of the servant of Krsna. How grateful I am to have the rare opportunity to be engaged in Krsna's service.
"In the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kinds of austerities, penances and similar processes for attaining self-realization. However, even if an executor of these processes is without any material desire, he still cannot achieve devotional service. And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is also not very hopeful, because Krsna does not agree to award devotional service to merely anyone. Krsna can easily offer a person material happiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily to award a person engagement in His devotional service. Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure devotee. In the Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya 19.151) it is said, "By the mercy of the spiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Krsna one can achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no other way."( p14)
Thank you for guiding me so nicely in the right direction. I know so little of what is Bhakti, but what I do know is that I want to please you, by placing hearing and chanting as main priorities every day. I want to keep on working hard, fully engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees. (Yes, book distribution is at my doorstep once again!) I feel very safe to have taken shelter of such an extraordinary Vaisnava, a direct representative of God Himself. Thank you Gurudeva. Hare Krsna.
Aspiring to remain your Captain "E"nthusiasm, your servant,
Bhaktin Marie-Andree
(Auckland)
Dear Devamrita Swami,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
"He [the bona fide spiritual master] is well versed in the conclusions of Vedic knowledge. He is freed from all material contamination and is fully engaged in Krsna's service. If one is able to obtain the dust of the lotus feet of such a guru, his life becomes successful. Otherwise he is baffled both in this life and in the next." SB 5.14.13 pp.
Somehow or other I have obtained the dust of your lotus feet: you have never given up on me. I am forever sorry it took so long for me to finally respond to your wake up call. One day, during a very dark time in my life, you said: "Well, you are a devotee at heart." I had to cherish those words which represent your deep kindness because for still a long time after this encounter, they were all I had to give me hope.
"..The qualification of his spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters." S.B 5.14.41 pp.
With conviction, selflessness and compassion, you make it your life's mission to convince others of their true identity as a servant of Krsna; to convince them they no longer need to suffer in the shadows of material existence and that there is a very worthy lifelong career in reaching out to others. Through your association so many people's lives have become successful. In particular, I am grateful to you for the Gaura Yoga Centre and for the devotees there who are all so merciful and surrendered.
I thank you so much for your patience and your blessings so that I may chant Krsna's holy names while trying to carry out the responsibility of motherhood. You told me once that you care for ALL of my family. Now I realize that actually you are not partial to certain people; you care for everyone. Please help me to care for people beyond those close to me.
I hope to please you one day. Please give me the intelligence and determination to serve you properly.
Aspiring to be your humble servant,
Michelle.
nama om vishnu-padaya
krishna-presthaya bhu tale
srimate devamrita
svamin iti namine
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinata
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
and all glories to you on this your vyasa puja celebration!
From my safe vantage point here in New Zealand, I hear about some of your incredible preaching efforts around the would. It never ceases to amaze me Guru Maharaja how you just go on and on. This has been even more magnified by your recent shoulder injury. Despite pain, inconvenience and on going treatment requirements, still you continued to preach. Not wanting to waste Krsna's time or Luxmi you continued to travel the globe. When ever I see the picture of Srila Prabhupada on the cover of Kurma's book The great Transcendental adventure it always reminds me of you powering off, leading the charge at full speed.
Recently you received a letter from Ekachakra prabhu after his visit down under. He had previously thought that apart from the famous Chowpatty temple no one else was able to come close to the real meaning of ISKCON. But after seeing your efforts in New Zealand he was so happy to see real Krsna consciousness going on elsewhere. He said that all your operations here are first class and one of a kind by the world wide scale (but we already new that).
I was listening to a sankirtana class the other day, one that you gave a few years ago I think. During the class you were reading out world book distribution scores and the percentage increase for that country. Russia up 3%, South America up 2% etc. When you came to New Zealand, however, you read that they were up a massive 734% on the previous years effort. Wow. You took no credit for that. In fact you said that you had no idea how this was happening? We, on the other hand, have every idea how this is happening. It is going on by your efforts alone. In fact if it was not for you taking New Zealand under your wing we would probably still be eating moa's (so to speak). You are the inspiration and driving force behind all of this.
In my mind I feel the only way to really please you, to sincerely show gratitude, is to distribute books. The service that was so dear to your spiritual master and which you have empowered so many of your disciples to do. I feel that those devotees who have taken some of the 50000 Srimad Bhagavatam1.1's in their book bags and entered the towns and cities of New Zealand to distribute the mercey are the dearest to you. To my eternal misfortune I am not one of those devotees. I pray that one day I will get infected with that ability and pond the streets doing what you have taught us all to do - reach out to others!
Guru Maharaja, I know I will be reading this aloud in the assembly of my godbrothers and godsisters, your disciples, who endeavour so much to please you. In the wake of their offerings and practical displays of affection, my so called offering seems small and insignificant.
In the Krsna book, Srila Prabhupada says that you can never repay the debt to your parents. You are my spiritual parent and my debt to you is massive. With this in mind I am requesting a special concession from you, please Guru Maharaja dont send the bailiffs or debt collectors around to my house, my repayments are very small and insignificant but I do hope to improve this in the future.
Your insignificant disciple and spiritual son,
Muni-cari dasa
pracare purva-daksyam ca
bhaktacara-pravinta
pararthatapi karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namah
Dear Gurudeva
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. All Glories unto Your Lotus Feet.
On this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja I bow down at your Lotus Feet with great awe & reverence.
Gurudeva, On behalf of the previous acharyas You are so kindly accepting my service & worship although I consider myself to be unqualified. You have so kindly accepted me & given the Holy Name for which I have no taste & attraction.
This is due to your causeless mercy & immense compassion that You are taking so many pains & hardships in presenting Krsna Consciousness to others. You travel around the world sharing MahaPrabhu's mercy to the unfortunate souls of kali yuga. You are always devising plans of how to make Krsna consciousness easy to be accessed, practiced & keeping our senses engaged in Krsna's service.
Like a parent you nurture your dependents. In the purport to verse 11.17.27 of SB it is mentioned that the spiritual master is like a parent. "Without the attentive service of his parents, a child cannot grow to manhood; similarly, without the care of the spiritual master one cannot rise to the plane of transcendental service."
Therefore I must take shelter of Your Lotus Feet. Also the purport mentions "Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual master. Therefore in the dealings of an acarya there are no activities but those of transcendental loving service to the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. It is worthwhile to take shelter of such a steady devotee, who is called asraya-vigraha, or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take shelter."
On this occasion I would like to express my gratitude toYou & humbly beg for Your mercy so that I can learn to serve the Vaisnavas & take shelter of your instructions.
Your indebted servant
Nanda Mandira dasa
Dear Devamrita Swami,
Please accept our sincere and humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Let me start by saying that you are extraordinarily wonderful! My wife and I have had adoration for you ever since the first online lecture of yours we heard. Your nectar rich lectures have been our main contact with you, so far, and from those alone we know that you are our spiritual master. Your enthusiasm is contagious and you you are consistently demonstrating how devotional service is a joy to perform; never is it a burden.
You have always made yourself available to us by email and you have always been so personable, warm, and caring in your replies. We have not met face to face, yet we feel as if you have been our well wisher all of our lives...You have had tremendous patience with me and my struggles. Even still, what a joy it has been corresponding with you! I can only imagine the spiritual elations we will feel when we do finally meet with you.
We wish you a wondrous vyasa puja! We will be with you in spirit!
Your unworthy servants,
Neal and Wendy Carr
Portland, Oregon
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate devamrita swamin iti namine
pracare purva daksyam ca
bhakta cara pravina ta
parathat api karunyam
yasya sarve ca te namaha
Dear Guru Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
om ajnyana-timirandhasya
jnyananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namaha
O, Gurudev! You are the ocean of mercy and compassion. By your causeless mercy you open to me the happiness of Krishna consciousness. Everything that the disciple will try to do to express his gratitude to Guru for his mercy will be infinitesimal in comparison with it.
When by the mercy of the devotees I was at Vyasapuja of Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, one of our oldest devotees Isvara Puri prabhu when he was asked to read his offering said "Dear Guru Maharaja! I can't write offering in poetic form with many quotations as many devotees did, but my love for you, Guru Maharaja, is in my heart."
This words as if went through my heart because they were consonant with my thoughts and feelings. My love for you, dear Gurudev, is deep in my heart. Putting your lotus feet into my heart, I'm humbly praying to you for the mercy never leave it. On this happy day of your appearance falling at your lotus feet I am humbly praying to you for the mercy to clean my heart opening the transcendental knowledge in it so that I will be able to be useful and satisfy you with my service.
There is no more happiness for a disciple to know that Guru is satisfied and that means that Krishna is satisfied.
Dear Guru Maharaja! Please allow me to be always at your lotus feet. Please, forgive me. Please accept my humble obeisances with love and gratitude.
Your devoted servant,
Netrananda devi dasi, Saint-Petersburg (Russia)
Dear Gurumaharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Thank you for this opportunity to try and glorify you.
First I will ask for your blessing so that one day I might be able to understand the importance that a day like today holds in ones spiritual life and to understand the opportunity that you have selflessly given me.
I feel so fortunate and unfortunate all at once, fortunate that I am present on this special day but unfortunate that I do not understand the depths this day and there for do not have the proper emotions or ability to make a worthy offering.
You have looked after me for almost two years now and you have shown me so much patience.
Please help me Gurumaharaja destroy these anarthars in my heart, pride, greed, lust and anger have plagued me through out many births and now I have finally found what everyone is looking for in life, a true representative of Krsna, I prey that I wont muck up this chance at getting out of this imprisoning mentality of bodily identification.
Please help me to stop my offenses against my god sisters and brothers and become the selfless servant.
Please help me over come my unsteadiness in practising Krsna Consciousness.
Please help me understand the importance of attentive chanting of Krsna's names.
I know that if I just follow your instructions my life will become perfect, so on this day I guess what I am really begging of you is to please grant me the sincerity to fitful your desires and follow your instructions.
On Radhastami you read to a few of your devotee's the story of Uddhava bringing a letter from Krsna to the Gopi's and Radharani speaking to the bumble bee, this was one of the most special times I have had in your association, it was so sweet and intimate, I felt very close to you. I felt so cared for and realised that your my real father, you are actually caring for me, not who I and others think I am but you're actually caring for the real me, the eternal servant of Krsna.
I love it Gurumaharaja that you know so much about me with out me saying a word.
Thank you for saving me from my disgusting humiliating existence.
Thank you for gifting me the facilities at Gaura Yoga.
Thank you for training such nice devotee's for me to learn from.
Thank you for caring when no one else did.
I hope I can be of some use to you Gurumaharaja or I am just a dead body flapping in the wind.
Your aspiring servant
Bhaktin Nina
Dear Devamrita Swami Maharaja!
Accept please my bows by Your lotus feet!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Accept, please, my congratulations in day of Your phenomenon.
From the bottom of the heart I wish You huge happiness in consciousness of
Krishna.
You are an eternal source of pure inspiration and satisfaction for Your
disciples. Please, do not deprive with