Please accept my humble obeisances on the auspicious day of your divine appearance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Recently I was hearing a lecture where the speaker shared how blessed the devotees are, who get the opportunity to do menial service for their spiritual master. Reflecting on the lecture, I wondered how fortunate I was to get the opportunity a few times. Although I had my first opportunity to serve you in 2009 at Birmingham, UK - my mis fortune I did not understand the value of such a wonderful service. After doing a tiny service for the first time with so many mistakes, your holiness in that challenging health condition also, did not fail to thank me for the insignificant service. I did not even pay much attention to the humility and compassion that you showed to me.
Years passed and I had the same opportunity in 2015, but, again with my own anarthas, I failed to realise the fortune you showed upon me to give that opportunity.
This year in January your holiness was here in Birmingham, UK, where my spiritual journey was planted over 10 years ago. Although still not qualified, devotees gave me yet another opportunity to serve you for a day. For the first time ever, I had so many realisations serving you and listening to your interactions with senior god brothers and sisters. Even at my age, my memory is so poor that I hardly remember important things, but I was amazed with your sharp memory and recollection of events. Your holiness in one of the interactions remembered the birthday of one of the senior devotees, Jaganath Kirtananda Das and shared -how you both were in Argentina many years back on his birthday and how the devotees there made a special cake. I was shocked, how practical, is it for you to not only remember his birthday out of the many disciples you have all over the world, but also to share the memory. I have to say I was mesmerized with your attention to detail and your interaction with every single devotee. In the middle of the night you called and asked us what is the formula to calculate the perimeter of a circle and you were referring to Brahma purana and was trying to share a beautiful pastime of the life time of brahma. I am so so unfortunate, that my tiny brain could not connect what you were trying to explain. I kept thinking, but being scripturally not so advanced, I was not even able to comprehend your message.
Through the night I heard your clicker clicking and you kept chanting till dawn. Gurudeva, my practical experience this year has changed many many perceptions that I was illusioned with, over the years. You broke many of those perceptions just by your actions. Throughout your life you have showed by your example that we are not this body and continue to do so, even more, in the last 10 years. Your unflinching faith to Srila prabhupada and your commitment mood to serve the movement is what inspires me the most.
On this auspicious day I pray to your lotus feet, that I have the tiny little dust of those wonderful qualities showered upon me to serve Guru and Gauranga.
Finally, please bless me to chant with undivided attention to absorb my mind in transcendental sound vibration & submit my sincere thanks to keep me engaged in your service, tolerating my misgivings - which is your magnanimous quality.
Your most insignificant servant
Brihat Gaura Hari Das