Nama Om Vishnu padaya Krsna presthaya bhutale
Srimate Jayapataka swamin iti namine,
Nama Acharya padaya Nitai kripa pradayine
Gaura katha dhama daya nagara grama tarine
nama om vishnu Padaya krishna Presthaya Bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta svamin iti namine
namaste sarasvate deve gaura vani pracharine
nirveshesh sunyavadi pashchatya desa tarine
My dearest Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my most respectful obeisances from the bottom of my heart at your lotus feet. So many things I think I want to tell you but when it comes to putting it down on paper all my thoughts seem to fly away like birds suddenly startled by a loud sound. I feel so insignificant in trying to express in words the feelings that pour from my heart every time I think of you. I see you day after day being a stalwart soldier for Srila Prabhupad. No one, I believe, no one can estimate how many lives you have changed just by being who you are, a most compassionate devotee of the Supreme Lord. If it not for this depth of compassion, how could anyone do what you do now and what you have done in the past. Srila Prabhupad has intrusted you with the responsibility of developing Mayapur. You have done that and you continue to encourage others to continue developing all the parikrama pathways; finding the lost holy places that were visited by Lord Chaitanya and His associates. You bring so many devotees into the fold of ISKCON, "the house that Srila Prabhupad built", for all humanity. There is not one corner of the world you would not visit if you felt it would bring one devotee closer to Krishna. This past year, you visited Latin America and even though there was political unrest in Chile (I think Santiago, Chile) and it was thought that maybe you shouldn't go there, you went, because so many devotees had been waiting many years to see you and you could not disappoint them. So many times you went out of your way to help devotees if you felt that it would help them in their Krishna Consciousness.
You have so many wonderful qualities, but the quality that really came into my thoughts was your tolerance and patience. This past year I had broken my ankle and was incapacitated for about six weeks. In that time I was not allowed to walk anywhere nor was I allowed to do my normal duties. I had to ask others for every little thing that I needed. I found myself getting frustrated and angry. Frustrated because I had to ask someone for every little thing that I needed and angry because they weren't doing whatever it was the way I wanted them to do it. In this situation my thoughts immediately went to you and your situation. I had been so used to going wherever I wanted and doing whatever I wanted that when I became dependent on others I became frustrated. But you Guru Maharaj, you are unstoppable. In your condition you are completely dependent on others but you never let that stop you . You still keep up your untiring schedule of travel and preaching almost equal to your activities before your stroke. You are a wonderful example for others to follow.
Please bless me that I may imbibe at least one spark of your dedication. I am continuing to teach the Sunday School with the help of Varsana devi dasi, I going on book distribution whenever possible. Our Vaishnavi Sanga conference call is also continuing. We are now also starting a Srimad Bhagavatham class for our Sunday school children. Ever since this COVID-19 I have been unable to do my service for the deities Sri Sri Radha Giridhari and I am feeling very sad, I am trying to keep my "bhakti lata bija" nourished with reading and chanting but I sorely miss the association of my extended Krishna Conscious family. Not being able to see the devotees and deities at least once a week is very difficult. Please Guru Maharaj please bless me that I never have to lose the association of the devotees and Sri Sri Radha Giridhari. This separation has made me realize how much I need them to survive this material world. Thankfully I have my remote connections via free conference call and the Bhakti Sanga Group, but I dearly crave the personal association of the devotees. If there is any little bit of devotion in my service please Guru Maharaj please accept that, forgive my mistakes and bless me that, I can increase my service to Srila Prabhupad and the previous acharyas so that I can in some way show my appreciation and gratitude to you for becoming my spiritual father.
yours in the service of Sri Srr Radha Giridhari
Phanesvari Laxmi devi dasi and Bhaskar Peesapati.
April 2020