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Vyāsa-pūjā 2023

Śravaṇa Kīrtana Dāsa (Mayapur - India)

Dear Guru Mahārāja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your life-saving presence on this earth! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

On this holy appearance day of yours, the heart harks back to your busy travels, which were full of your energy-filled pastimes and narrations of the pastimes of Their Lordships Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi. Journeying back in time, my heart realizes the timelessness of your glories and the glories of Their Lordships. Your enthusiasm in giving Kṛṣṇa consciousness to others by traveling worldwide was an activity ever-worthy of emulation and now, although you do not travel as much because of your bodily limitations, you are as much an inspiration to one and all as you have always been ever since you took the first step of your journey on the road of preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thousands of troubled families have become Kṛṣṇa-centered families owing to your compassionate preaching activities. Numerous brahmacārī and sannyāsī disciples have become more compassionate and loving owing to your pure association.

By your example, you have proven that devotees are gentlemanly to the core. Most of the locals (except the ones that are still in the deepest mode of ignorance) in and around Śrī Māyāpur Dhāma always fondly remember you as a “gentleman who carries God’s auspiciousness with him and spreads it freely “. Since you always carry the Lord and His associates within the innermost chamber of your heart, you are a walking temple. It is said that the face is the index of the mind. Your effulgent lotus face and your lotus lips which seem to always twitch with eagerness to discuss Gaura-kathā bear tell-tale testimony to the presence of the all-compassionate and all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya with His entire entourage within you. People in general ask “How are you?” when they want to know how their friends or relatives are doing. You do the same when people come to see you, but you always remember to ask them if they are happy too, which is what matters most. Today’s most hackneyed question is “How are you” and the most hackneyed and oft-given mechanical reply is “I’m fine”. Devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, people are unhappy. And Your Holiness overflowing with Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always aware of this unenviable situation of the conditioned souls and always remember to ask, “Are you happy?” during your interactions with devotees and others. This goes to show that you genuinely want everyone to be happy by embracing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. With straw between my teeth, I salute and bow humbly before this quality of your Holiness! I sincerely aspire to have at least a fraction of this genuine desire of yours to see others blissful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just how greatly fortunate I am to be one of your disciples is beyond my wildest imaginations! Just imagining it makes my heart swell with the feel of spiritual well-being and makes me swim in a sea of gratefulness.

Your auspicious presence in this world of misfortunes stemming from Kali-yuga’s ocean of faults is like an oasis on a desert. Into our parched lives, you have come as an oasis of life-giving fresh water, and are freely hydrating us with the fresh water of Kṛṣṇa consciousness at every step of our way back to Godhead.

Last but not least, a mere “thank you” will hardly suffice to express the deep and undying gratitude I feel toward you from the bottom of my heart for Your Holiness always being there for me as my spiritual father… Words fail me…

All glories to your wonderfully compassionate self! All glories to your service to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Your humble servant,

Sravan Kīrtana Dāsa

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