Vyasa-puja offering to Srila Prabhupada 2007

(view 2007 offerings by disciples)

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

Whenever I survey the gruesome wreckage of just this one birth, before I met you, my heart grieves. Then, to think that for countless births I've drowned in nescience, forgetting Prananatha, the Lord of our life, the river of my torment flows. How many births, in how many species, on how many planets have I ignored Krishna and His devotees?

We have to learn how to act only for Krishna, how to love only Krishna. Then our life is successful. And the human life . . . Because we have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago. Anadi karama-phale. Anadi means "before the creation" . . .

So this chance is given. So if this chance is misused, this life, human form of life, it is very, very risky. Again we will have to accept the cycle of birth and death. And not only that, if we do not fulfill the mission of life, then again there will be annihilation of the whole creation and we will have to stay within the body of Vishnu for millions and trillions of years. Again we will have to come. So therefore it is called anadi karama-phale. Anadi means "before the creation." [Lecture in London, 6 August 1973]

Birth and death disconnected from devotional service? Srila Prabhupada, by your illuminating grace, now I can conceive of no greater pain. Birth and death wholly in your service? Now, by your affectionate training, I'd accept that — just as long as upon my head rest only a few particles of dust from your divine lotus feet.

Sometimes I try to fathom the depths of your pure love for Krishna. Then the reality of your mercy — how you put up with us creatures — takes over the meditation. Allow me to offer back to you your own words from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Let the whole world consider what kind of devotee writes these words of pure ecstasy, bathing in caranamrita the generations to follow:

Out of humility, a devotee considers himself unfit to be transferred to the spiritual world. He always thinks himself contaminated by the modes of material nature. Nor is there any need for a devotee to ask to be freed from the modes of material nature. Devotional service itself is in the transcendental position; therefore there is no question of asking for this special facility. The conclusion is that a pure devotee is not anxious to stop the repetition of birth and death, but is always eager to associate with other devotees who are engaged in chanting and hearing about the glories of the Lord. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.30.34, purport]

Enshrining these words in my heart, through all the typical phases and tumults of life in this world, may I always cling to devotional service — the irreplaceable activity that renders even our requesting freedom from triguna-mayi irrelevant.

Srila Prabhupada, the opportunity to render selfless service is the greatest benediction of devotional service within your ISKCON. While coping with the ocean of ISKCON's diversity, our leaders must work hard to keep this special facility — selfless service — alive and available, so that at least somewhere in the ISKCON marketplace there is always demand for it. After all, you did demonstrate how to make life a success — "how to get ahead" — by vigorously investing the self into the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya.

The gopis were captivated by Krishna. Krishna was a young boy, very beautiful, and the gopis were young girls. That is the superficial . . . Actually, the gopis are eternal associates of Krishna. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih. They are expansions of Krishna, Krishna's pleasure potency expansion. They are meant for Krishna's pleasure. They are not ordinary women. But superficially, just to teach us how to love Krishna at the risk of anything . . . Therefore gopis, when they were attracted by Krishna at midnight . . . Krishna was playing flute, and they became attracted and they left home. Some of them were locked up. They gave up their life even. They were so much attracted. [Lecture in London, 6 August 1973, continued]

Venerable Vaishnavas may talk about this most exalted level of spiritual attainment, but you daily lived it — in plain view. For you such selfless service — loving Krishna at any risk — was as routine as dal, rice, and chapatis. And then you have the greatest compassion and expertise to properly teach your followers this zenith of bhakti, as you so carefully and lovingly lead us into this most rarified atmosphere.

Aspiring to be your unconditional servant,
Devamrita Swami