My most dear spiritual father His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Acharyapada,
Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Your Holiness.
It was one of the most hairs rising experience when I received an email from you on 04th September 2005 with blessings on my material birthday. In that email you had mentioned “This human life is very short in kali yuga and we want whatever the remaining period of your life to be Krsna conscious and after the end of your life you go back to Krsna. We want you to be happy in your Krsna consciousness and blissful and peaceful throughout your life”. Gurudev, who else other than your Holiness, can shower such blessings with most beneficial instruction?
During a discourse in April 2004 at Damodardesh, you had stressed on the importance of proliferating ‘Bakti Vriksha’ as that is the simplest yet successful model to deliver the message of Srila Prabupada and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabu. Though I had endeavored to serve you since 1999 at Shyamadesh and Gaurangadesh, your instruction in 2004 and email on Sept 2005 gave me the impetus to reach out the parents and relatives of the Bal utsav children and start few more BVs in English, Tamil and Sourashtra languages. Some of the BV members have been very fortunate to become your disciples. While many of your disciples are delivering by far excellent service unto you, I consider myself greatly blessed to perform insignificant miniscule service at your lotus feet.
Guru Maharaj, your golden words: “This material world is such a place that unexpected difficulties sometimes appear” are eternally true. During the period from 2005 to 2015, there were several challenges, mostly material. However in all difficult situations, both material and spiritual journeys, I always felt your presence close to my heart and guiding every step.
In the September 2007, you had instructed to support and serve HG Sarvaisvarya Dasa, Coimbatore temple president (now HH Bakti Vinoda Swami). O dear spiritual father, it has taken 10 years to complete my material family obligations by your blessings while serving at Gaurangadesh. In July 2017, as if destined by you, I had to wind up my life at Gaurangadesh and relocate to Coimbatore.
HH Bakti Vinoda Swami mercifully accepted me to serve under him by developing facilities management program initially for the upkeep of Sri Jaganath temple. He also instructed me to support him in the upcoming Kovai Chandra – Sri Radha Krishna temple complex as well as the ambitious vocational training institute in Coimbatore.
Gurudev, though I had gathered 20 years of experience in facilities management in materialistic environment, I now feel totally unqualified when it comes to serving in spiritual environment. I am extremely afraid if I can live up to the expectations of HH Bakti Vinoda Swami, who is a great visionary and an exalted devotee. It is only your causeless mercy and empowerment shall bring out anything that would be of worth to serve your mission at Coimbatore and Kerala, as a servant of your servant.
Gurudev, every word you speak, every word you write are eternal instructions. I don’t have words to describe the power & potency of your Grace. On this most auspicious and holy occasion of your appearance, I would like to refer the verse from Cc., Antya 4.46,47 and beg your causeless mercy.
sei bhakta dhanya, ye na chade prabhura carana
sei prabhu dhanya, ye na chade nija-janadurdaive sevaka yadi yaya anya sthane
sei thakura dhanya tare cule dhari' ane“Glorious is that devotee who does not give up the shelter of his Lord, and glorious is that Lord who does not abandon His servant. If by chance a servant falls down and goes somewhere else, glorious is that master who captures him and brings him back by the hair.”
Gurudev, you have performed miracles all over the world continue till date. The ambitious Kovai Chandra project needs your magical gesture for its timely completion. Every devotee here in Coimbatore and surrounding towns are very excited to witness a very grand opening ceremony amidst the auspicious presence of your Holiness. We submit our most humble prayers at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, Lord Sri Narasimhadev, Sri Panca Tattva and Sri Radha Madhava for your speedy health recovery and a very long life to save many more millions of jivatmas.
Your insignificant spiritual son & servant,
Ratnakar Gauranga Dasa
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India