My dear Śrīla Gurudeva,
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 obeisance at your divine lotus feet. Each year when I sit to write my Vyāsa-pūjā offering, I realize how unqualified I am in trying to present your transcendental glories. I also realize how incapable I am compared to the other devotees who do an excellent job in praising your transcendental qualities and achievements.
Your life is dedicated to serving your spiritual master’s order in an unmotivated manner. You have unflinching faith in the words of your spiritual master. You came to illuminate this dark world with Lord Caitanya’s mercy.
In a brief span of 51 years you have preached to lakhs of people and opened 100s of new centres. You are an amazing saint in the history of Earth. Prior to the appearance of your teachings, very few people knew about Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The purpose of the Vedic knowledge is to inspire humanity to serve the Lord by performing devotional service. You have made it possible for the conditioned souls of Kali-yuga to understand the importance of Lords Caitanya’s devotional service.
Today your books are available to the world and are inspiring more and more people to execute devotional service. The evidence of this is that the congregation of serious devotees has increased all over the world.
You showed by your personal example that a devotee should not be afraid of struggling for Kṛṣṇa. Your life is full of struggles. Your example is very important for all present and future devotees of this movement.
On this auspicious day I am praying for your causeless your mercy so that I may continue to have the opportunity to serve in your movement. Anyone who preaches the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru.
Caitanya Mahäprabhu also says,
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "You become a guru on My order."
yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Simply repeat the instruction of Krṣṇa, you become guru." First of all, it is said about guru, anyone who takes care of his subordinate, he is guru.
utsāhān niscayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati
There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service which, you are perfectly following.
Due to your mercy, book distribution in the major temples has increased. This is possible because of the dedication of the devotees to your instructions. The preaching in the major temples is expanding, and new projects are constantly getting started.
thākura vaisnava-gaṇa kari ei nibedana
mo baḍa adhama durācāra
dārūṇa-saṁsāra-nidhi tāte ḍubāila vidhi
keśe dhari more kara para
O saintly Vaishnava! Please hear my prayer. I am the most wretched and fallen soul, drowning in this formidable material ocean by Providence. Please help me to cross over this ocean by grabbing me by the hair of my head and pulling me out. The laws of Providence are so powerful that they do not consider religion or knowledge; rather they bind one with the ropes of karma. I do not find any source of deliverance from these miserable conditions, and I always lament because I am afflicted by this and I am without a master.
Lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride are pulling me to their respective places. Thus my mind is like a blind man without any sense of discrimination. My mind did not accept the path of the devotees. I was absorbed in bad association. “I did not aspire for your lotus feet, O Lord. Please accept me and keep me at your lotus feet, as I am afraid.”
May I always live by following your instructions and never deviate from your path even for a moment.
May we always remain prayerful in our endeavors to keep your ISKCONin the forefront of the sankirtana movement, thus always keeping your great contribution of loving compassion and mercy alive in the memory of the world at large in this Kali-yuga. Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed us with your presence, which is without contamination. I pray for your continued guidance to remain enthusiastic, determined, and patiently fixed in your service, life after life.
May all Raichurians always remain blessed to celebrate your appearance on this planet by offering you some substantial service to help you “push on this mission”
Your insignificant servant,
Sārathi Śyāma dāsa Brahmacārī, (Dīkṣā disciple)
Raichur, Karnataka, India