Hare Kṛṣṇa, our dearest Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances. All glories to you! All glories to all
the great Vaiṣṇavas!
I can’t imagine how fortunate I am – such an insignificant, fallen soul like me – to be given
a chance to write a homage to you for your Vyāsa-pūjā day. I am writing on behalf of the Hong
Kong yātrā. I believe my personal feelings and experience of your mercy toward me is similar to
what the other devotees have experienced in Hong Kong and so also represents their feelings and
appreciation.
When I initially came to your ISKCON Society, it was an extremely difficult period in my life.
I had a hard time with myself, my health, and my family. In short, I was in complete darkness
and my life was messy. However, after I read your books – books like The Science of Self-Realization,
Beyond Birth and Death, Chant and be Happy, and finally, the Bhagavad-gītā – I was certain that
Kṛṣṇa consciousness was the medicine for my diseases. You gave me – and all of us – light and
hope through your books, dear Śrīla Prabhupāda!
You then appeared in my dreams – three times. These dreams are still vivid in my mind. They
gave and continue to give me much strength and confidence on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
I recall one of the dreams in this offering.
This dream took place after I had watched The Final Lesson, the documentary video of your final
pastimes in this world. I dreamed of you that night. You were very sick and fragile. The setting
was in the countryside. Many disciples and devotees had come to pay their loving respects to
you. Everyone was too sad to say anything. I remembered that I was also there, and so I also paid
my sincere respects to you. When I came out of the room, I choked up and told myself, “Śrīla
Prabhupāda has done so much for me, for all of us, for the world. We must do our very best to
continue his mission.”
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, thank you so much for giving me such loving, intimate, and personal
association through my dreams. Thank you for also giving me such loving and intimate associa-
tion through your followers, your books, and everything else you gave us. They are the impetus
that continues to enable me to hold fast to my dream of going back home, back to Godhead. They
are also indispensable in helping me go through so many trials on my spiritual path.
On behalf of the Hong Kong yātrā, all of the devotees have gained much from your mercy,
kindness, and teachings. We miss you greatly and will try our best to continue your mission in
whatever small way we are able. Śrīla Prabhupāda Vyāsa-pūjā kī jaya!
Your humble and insignificant servant,
Gāyatrī Devī Dāsī,
on behalf of the Hong Kong yātrā

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