Dear Gurudeva!
Please accept our respectful obeisances! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda, who is an ocean of mercy!
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmin iti nāmine
namo ācāryapādāya nitāi-kṛpa-pradāyine
gaura-kathā dhāma dāya nagara-grāma tāriṇe
Tall order to achieve!
Its important for any disciple to understand how one is bestowed with the mercy of his spiritual master. Its our great fortune that we have you Gurudeva, a living example! All one need to do is observe you and follow in your footsteps to experience how the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda works in Your Divine life.
Starting from your journey of building Ratha cart with Thakur Jayananda prabhu to becoming the temple president in Canada at an early part of your life is first revelation of how guru’s mercy works in a disciple’s life! Its a tall order for anyone to achieve!
It is unfathomable to understand how you took Śrīla Prabhupāda’s order and at once came to India while the whole world dubbed India as a place of snake charmers! It’s incomprehensible the kind of faith you have in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words! You proved Śrīla Prabhupāda’s life is more important than yours when you saved Śrīla Prabhupāda from the snakes attack thus entering Śrīla Prabhupāda’s heart eternally!
When and which life time I’ll have at least an iota of this faith in your words Śrīla Gurudeva! Its a tall order to achieve! Without your causeless mercy!
In this communication era, learning a language and communicating effectively is an integral part of one’s requirement to be successful in life! You after coming to India immediately learnt Bengali to be effective in connecting with the wonderful followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to extract the nectar from them and the place of spiritual significance in and around Bengal. Not only you learnt the local language you also learnt the language of bull & cows to effectively engage them in Lord’s service, and the result is world known fact that highest productivity of paddy and all time record in our own Māyāpur land using the bulls of Māyāpur.
I live in the same world rather in a much more improved condition yet I’m struggling to speak the same language and end up being in trouble all the time! What special heart do you have filled with love for Śrīla Prabhupāda! It’s a tall order to achieve!
Your heart is so special that it expands to accommodate Śrīla Prabhupāda and his instructions to any extent you want! When will I get this mood to give at least one a small seat in my heart, which is now filled with lust and greed, so that it also expands unlimitedly for you! It’s a tall order to achieve! without your causeless mercy!
Śrīla Prabhupāda has said you are a special associate of Lord Caitanya at least a few times! Alas! When will I realise this message of Śrīla Prabhupāda and value the invaluable association of you shunning my deep attachment for material things! When will I value this causeless mercy of yours and fulfil my promise to you to help you serve Śrīla Prabhupāda! It’s a tall order to achieve! without your causeless mercy!
Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed you to develop Śrīdhāma Māyāpur “The spiritual capital of the world!” Not only did you develop this wonderful dhām for the whole world to take advantage of but also developed unflinching faith in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions. In every breath you take, one can see your love for Māyāpur!
I remember the days you would personally call every single devotee to visit the holy dhām and when they came you gave them the feeling that this is their original home! Neither have we seen the original home nor experienced the love that’s there! But all we know is only your love and care! I just can’t comprehend how big your heart is that you have a special place for everyone! I don’t know how many hearts I would need to make even a small place for you! It’s a tall order to achieve! without your causeless mercy!
Śrīla Prabhupāda envisaged many devotees would live outside the temple in the future and practice Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. You took Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instruction to your heart and pioneered the Namhatta and Bhakti Vriskha programs and the result is that there are millions of temples today! Every single devotee who lives outside the temple converted his house to become a temple! I just can’t comprehend you being a true Mahāprabhu’s associate how you distribute His mercy in every town and village!
The Acharya’s established many temples, but you by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy have built millions of temples all over the world! When will I realise your power and potency and start serving you with heart and soul like how you serve Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! It’s a tall order to achieve! without your causeless mercy!
We read in the scriptures how there are special empowered souls who demonstrate that whatever be the material condition they never lose focus on the Lord and the devotees of the Lord. We see you standing tall here! Despite all the challenges to the body, you demonstrate that nothing can stop anyone at anytime to serve and remember the Lord and the Spiritual master! I’m sure each part and parcel of your divine body will be chanting and calling out ”Gaurāṅga”, “Gaurāṅga”. To such a wonderful spiritual master, I’m such a disgrace that I hanker only for material comforts and luxury without any tinge of love for you or for the most merciful Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! It’s a tall order to achieve! without your causeless mercy!
Gurudeva, the Love and Care which you offer to the ISKCON community is unparalleled that none can equal it! I’m privy to couple of situations wherein you demonstrated that it doesn’t matter where you are and what situation you are in but you have more than adequate time to worry and care for them and ready to offer all the help and support. I don’t think anyone would be in a position to replicate this mood of yours! It’s a tall order to achieve!
By your causeless mercy we had the great fortune of experiencing joy of giving Kṛṣṇa Consciousness to some of the people who have never experienced who God is and what is devotional service! You packaged Kṛṣṇa Consciousness in such a simple way that those you distribute this mercy also get great joy along with the recipient of the mercy! What would have been the most difficult task was made very simple by you! It’s a tall order to achieve!
On this auspicious occasion of your holy appearance day I’m placing my request at the dust of your lotus feet that please bless and empower me that I will be able spread the glories of you, a wonderful servant of Śrīla Prabhupāda in distributing the holy names of the Lord under all material circumstances!
Your useless son,
Caitanya Avatārī dāsa,
New Rajapur Dhām, Bangalore, India