My Dear Spiritual Master Śrīla Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja
Daṇḍavat praṇāma, Hare Kṛṣṇa.
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
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to you Guru Mahārāja, all glories to Śrīla Prabhupad.
It is indeed a great honor to be given this opportunity to offer you homage. I know that I am a fallen and insignificant disciple of yours. Therefore, I consider myself very fortunate and blessed to be able to submit my homage at your lotus feet.
I take this opportunity also to express my sincere gratitude for giving me Diksha and taking me under your shelter thus setting me on my spiritual journey. It shows your immense compassion and mercy towards fallen and conditioned souls like me. I am greatly indebted to you for this.
Guru Mahārāja ji, whenever I had read or heard the news about your health conditions on social media or otherwise, I am always reminded of Bhīṣma-pitāmaḥ who was lying on a bed of arrows. In spite of his aggrieved and painful condition, Bhiṣmadeva, spoke about the essential principles of various religious duties to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja when requested by him.
Lord Kṛṣṇa inspired Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja to do so, because Lord wanted to show the whole world that His pure devotees are always sound in body and mind, by dint of spiritual enlightenment and thus in any circumstances a pure devotee of the Lord is in perfect order to speak of the right way of life.
Dear Guru Mahārāja you are a pure and great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not at all bothered by your physical impediments and pain you are enduring. It has never stopped you from preaching, travelling, and motivating us to take up the cause of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You are an epitome of courage, determination and perseverance. Your divine grace is a perfect living example of a true Vaiṣṇava.
You are also a true and topmost disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda leading all of us by your own personal example. You have broken all physical barriers unbelievably, solely to fulfill Śrīla Prabhupad's mission. Hats off to you Guru Mahārāja. I bow down my head at your lotus feet. In this context I am reminded of Śrīla Prabhupāda's words:
" In spiritual life there is nothing as impossible, only if we throw away material estimations and have faith in Guru and have faith in the power of God,"
On this occasion, please allow me to thank all my senior devotees and śīkṣa-gurus of Kṛṣṇa-kathā deśa, they are all inspired by you and are keeping up the best traditions of ISKCON. They are inspiring us to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by making us conduct Bhakti-vṛkṣa classes, various programmes, celebrating festivals etc. Everything is because of your mercy and blessings.
I pray to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme personality of God head, Śrīla Prabhupāda and ācāryas of our paramparā to protect you and keep you always in good health. So that we can all avail your continued blessings, mercy and protection, without which we are stranded.
Once again, I bow down my head at your Lotus feet.
I remain lovingly your humble servant. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Deva Deva Gaura dāsa (diksa)
(Kṛṣṇa-kathā deśa)
Ananta Padmanābha Cakra