26-3-2020
yatra -Pune, India.(Diksha disciple)
Sri Guru Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to your auspicious appearance day!
Om anjnana timirandhasya
Jnananjana salakaya
Chaksur unmilitam yena
tasmaih sri-guruve namah.
Respected Guru Maharaj! I was suffering in the clutches of Maya and was destined to wander in the endless cycle of repeated birth and death until you rescued and saved me on that fortunate day in July 1980 (it was Ratha Yatra day) at Calcutta when Your Holiness bestowed mercy on this fallen conditioned soul and blessed me by giving harinama diksha. I still remember your instructions on that day - PREACH KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS.
I have been earnestly following your instructions until today. I had to go to Nairobi - Kenya for job opportunities in Oct 1980 and I invited Your Holiness to visit Nairobi for ISKCON NAIROBI'S FIRST EVER RATH-YATRA in June 1985. I had the Privilege to associate and serve GURU MAHARAJA for about 3-4 days as your Holiness was staying at my home. I was blessed by Guru Maharaja and remembered this sloka from Chaitanya- Chairitamrta:-
tate bhaje Krishna kare gurur sevana
maya-jala chute paye krishnera charana
Lord Gaurahari instructed Sanatana Goswami to worship Krishna and continue rendering service to Guru, the spiritual master and become freed from Maya and attain lotus feet of Krishna!
Guru Maharaja, until today I keep on remembering my realisations and experiences of valuable time spent in at service and association of your Holiness. I also served as Temple President in Nairobi and Mombasa Temples for about 5 years and during this period, I got ample oportunity of Preaching and making devotees due to causeless mercy of your Holiness. I remember that whenever devotees from Mombasa used to visit Mayapur, your Holiness always remembered this fallen conditioned soul and asked my whereabouts.
Due to Guru Maharaja's inspiration, I have written 9 books till todate as your Holiness inspired me to write more books on Bhagavad Gita & Bhagavatam after reading my First Book "HANDBOOK ON IMPORTANT VERSES OF BHAGAGWAD GITA", in 1999. Your Holiness had also given some important suggestions which I have tried to follow.
I would seek personal darsan and association with Guru Maharaja which I have not been able to get since Calcutta Ratha yatra in July 1996. I am regularly following Daily lectures of your Holiness through pune JPS whatsapp circulation and eagerly awaiting your Holiness visit to Pune in October 2020.
I always PRAY to Lord Nrisimha and Lord Shri Krishna
to keep you in good health as we in ISKCON need your guidance and leadership for preaching Krishna consciousness all over the world.
Begging for mercy at your lotus feet,
Din Dayal Das
Your obedient servant and disciple.
Din DAYAL DAS (D.K. GUPTA)
GANGA CARNATION; F2/703
KOREGAON PARK Annex, PUNE 411036.