Dearest Guru Mahārāja.
Koṭi Daṇḍavat.
All glories to your Divine Guru Maharaj.
Jai Śrī Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Overwhelmed with thankfulness, I write this letter to you. Having been a receiver of your mercy and witnessing your grace, I find myself unable to express in words the magnanimity of your character as the constant flow of kindness which emanates from your heart, submerges us in an ocean of nectar. I remember with inspiration seeing your servants pack your bags when you were ready to start your world tours after the Māyāpur Festival. Japa malas, Narsimha oils, cassettes and videos of your classes, books, Ganga water, GBC papers, batteries, multi cables and chargers, slide protector etc. Everything needed to give mercy and inspire the devotees. In your hand luggage you carried little bags of Kṛṣṇa Prasāda candy for the chowkidars, for the drivers, for the people who came to your window, the security guards at the airport. for every single soul who would come close to you. Your demeanor would change when you would meet a new person. You would become even more kind and attentive to their questions, eager to share your divine friendship and extending a much-needed hand to souls who would find within you a new hope and reason to believe. But most of all, you brought Lord Caitanya and His divine associates within your heart. You carried your unflinching faith in Śrīla Prabhupāda and your full love and surrender to Śrīla Prabhupāda's ISKCON.
In 1981 you came for the first time to South America. You passed through Bogota Colombia for one night which was and is the single most memorable event in my life. Your arrival at the small and crowded temple was such a grandiose event. When you payed your daṇḍavats to Śrīla Prabhupāda you covered the whole width of the Temple room.
I was against the wall, my eyes full of tears that obstructed my darśana of your divine form.
With your eyes closed, you transported us to Śrīdhāma Māyāpur. You spoke about the transcendental features of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda. You described how tall Their golden forms where, adorned with lotus eyes whose ends reached all the way to their ears and how they danced so sweetly in slow motion like inside of a honey jar…
In detail you narrated all the wonderful bodily signs only found in great personalities…
But simply by looking at you Guru Mahārāja, it was like seeing all these characteristics also in your presence….
In my heart I new I had found my spiritual master.
Until that moment, I had been feeling very sad that I had not received the chance to meet Śrīla Prabhupāda personally. I had been devotedly reading his books and following his guidance since 1973.
When I joined the Temple, I was devastated upon learning of His departure from this world. This news was quite devastating for me and even though I was fully engaged in book distribution and trying to apply his teachings, I was still not sure how I would continue without him.
But after that wonderful moment in your presence, hearing about Lord Gaura-sundara and Śrī Nityananda Ram, my enthusiasm and faith was fully restored. Even now, every day when I think of You, I am cheerful and eager to go out of the Dhām and find those fortunate souls who are waiting there by the will of providence. You are our link to Śrīla Prabhupāda and the previous Acharyas and while in this life and present body I desire to represent you properly with kindness and perfect siddhānta as a member of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ISKCON.
If I can get a glimpse, a reflection in my heart of even a drop of your compassion for all the living entities, I can one day please you and please His Divine Grace.
Now once again your Vyāsa-pūjā day is approaching us. Since I came to Māyāpur it has become very difficult and almost impossible to simply stand before you and give an offering from the heart, like we always did.
Too many devotees and not enough time, so we always find somewhere around the world to celebrate with our beloved godbrothers and godsisters who love you so much. There we speak from our heart to your lotus feet, feeling always deeply thankful.
This year, 2019, after a successful preaching tour through South America and Russia, we are going to Almaty, Kazasthan for a series of preaching events and most importantly, your Vyasa Puja celebration.
On this 70th year Vyasa Puja, we would like to again offer our lives to keep sharing the Holy Name around. We are very much in need of your blessings to be able to represent you as your sincere servants. There is no other desire within our hearts but to please you, O Divine Servant of His Divine Grace. We live to please you by facing the faces that you send for us.
Always desiring to please you.
Your insignificant servant.
Prahlāda Narasiṁha dāsa Adhikārī
Lalitā Sakhi Devī Dāsī.
