Dear Guru Mahārājā,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda and to your lotus feet.
etad eva hi sac-chiṣyaiḥ
kartavyaṁ guru-niṣkṛtam
yad vai viśuddha-bhāvena
sarvārthātmārpaṇaṁ gurau
(10.80.41)
Translation: This indeed is the duty of all true disciples: to repay the debt to their spiritual master by offering him, with pure hearts, their wealth and even their very lives. (Sandipani Muni to Kṛṣṇa and Sudama)
That is the secret of success in Spiritual life.
Our Guru Maharaja, although from a very rich family took shelter at the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda at the age of 19 and surrendered himself to the wishes of His Guru Mahārāja. Today He is 70 years which means Guru Maharaja virtually offered His entire life to Śrīla Prabupada as told by Sandipana Muni to Kṛṣṇa & Sudama. “sarva artha atma arpanam gurau”.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave many instructions to our Guru Maharaja. One of them was to develop Māyāpur. Śrīla Prabhupāda showed this large piece of agricultural land to our Guru Mahārāja and said “I am giving the Kingdom of God. Develop it into a nice spiritual city.” We can’t even imagine the mammoth effort that must have gone into developing it into whatever it is today. All the troubles were undertaken, and efforts were put in, so that future generations can take the benefit of visiting a holy dham. No other personal gain. He is still involved in completing the TOVP as desired by Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Sukadeva Gosvami is telling Pariksit Mahārāja (8.7.44) that great personalities always accept voluntary austerities for the benefit of the suffering people in general. This is considered the highest method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Here is a personality who by personal example is showing His disciples how to surrender oneself to one’s Guru and how to be a paropakari and thereby please the Supreme Lord. Even in His present condition Guru Maharaja is only thinking of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions and somehow or the other getting it executed.
But Guru Maharaja, we are so fallen and attracted by worldly activities that we are not able to learn from You. Even if we learn, not sure that we can follow in Your footsteps. I distinctly remember one instruction from You to me and pray that I fulfill it in this lifetime.
Guru Maharaja, on this auspicious day of Your appearance, we as a family pray to Kṛṣṇa for Your long healthy life, full of bliss. At the same time we also seek Your blessings to be in Krsna Consciousness forever.
Your useless spiritual children
Vaikuṇṭhapati dāsa
Lokamātā Lakṣmī devī dāsī