Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Among the many, many amazing things that you accomplished in your life, perhaps the most amazing for me is that you just got on that boat, the Jaladuta.
You were an elderly sādhu situated in Vrindavan, the most sacred place in the world for devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. You knew from śāstra how degraded this age was, especially in the West. You knew how difficult it would be to teach kṛṣṇa-bhakti to foreigners. You knew that Westerners were proud of their temporary opulence and thus disinclined to hear a message extolling them to surrender to God. You knew that others before you had gone west and failed. You knew that you too might fail.
Yet, you came. Despite the lack of finances, the lack of institutional backing, the lack of welcome, the lack of practically everything any reasonable person would require before undertaking such an arduous journey. Yet, you came.
It’s typical for disciples to glorify their gurus on Vyāsa-pūjā day, but today is not a typical Vyāsa-pūjā day. This is the Vyāsa-pūjā day of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the founder-ācārya of ISKCON. No other day of glorification of guru comes anywhere near to being this important.
Without you, there would be no Kṛṣṇa movement outside of India. There would be some Hindu temples; a few would have Kṛṣṇa Deities. Other sādhus would have come west; some would have written and sold their books. But there would be no movement. Only you had the expertise, the wisdom, the compassion, the tolerance, the vision, and the determination to bring the message of bhakti to the modern world. No one could have done what you have done. No one can compare to you and your achievements. No one.
And I, an aging servant who is dutybound to try to understand you, to glorify you, to appreciate you, and to try to amplify your message – I struggle to understand even why you got on that boat. How deep must be your love for the Lord! How much faith you must have in His holy name! How surrendered you must be to His will! How strong a desire you must have to fulfill His mission and deliver the souls lost in this material world!
Reflecting on your astounding success, I am struck by how you inspired millions to give up their materialistic ways and dedicate their lives to the Lord. And I am left wondering, still: How is it you got on that boat? Where would I be if you had not? How can I hope to repay the debt I owe you?
Your servant,
Anuttama Dāsa