Dearest Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to your unlimited services!
Happy 71st vyasa puja to you! This year also marks 50 years of your acceptance into the order of sannyasa, which Srila Prabhupada had given directly to you. As with all other activities, your only wish was to carry out the order of His Divine Grace and to make him happy and therefore you took on this heavy responsibly of taking up the sannyasa order at the age of twenty one years young! It is amazing and unfathomable to see you tirelessly preaching the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in such a relentless way ever since joining the movement. You have never given up your determination to please your beloved guru and the previous acarayas.
You are a mine of unlimited gem-like qualities and even having so many excellent virtues, you always remain humble and meek and have never shown any pride. You simply offer any achievements to Srila Prabhupada and always say that you are dependent on his mercy. This is such a valuable lesson and a very important instruction to always be completely reliant upon the guru’s mercy and I pray dear Guru Maharaja that I may always be placed upon the shade of your lotus feet forever.
We are so fortunate to have had such close physical association with you. You have tirelessly preached the length and breadth of the world hundreds of times over and you have never forgotten us in little Birmingham. You completely reciprocate the love and affection that we in turn feel for you just like a loving father. We were so happy to see you twice at the end of last year after so many years of not travelling due to your transplant operation and the concomitant health issues. But as soon as you resumed your travel, we were so blessed to be included on your travel itinerary-this is certainly due to your causeless mercy. As soon as you arrived it felt like the Mayapur spirit had flooded the Midlands-there were just waves after waves of pure bliss emanating from your lotus mouth. When I looked up during the initiation speech, I could just see big broad beaming smiles on everyone’s faces. At that moment I realized that we were not in Birmingham anymore, but had been transported to the spiritual world.
The Bhagavatam states that a pure devotee can immediately purify someone whereas bathing in the Ganga takes some time to be purified. We are always anxious to get your association because it immediately revives us to our original pure state-everything else pales in comparison and there is no other place in the three worlds that I’d rather be.
I have no qualities personally Guru Maharaja, but I have great hope in your unfathomable mercy and I know if somehow or other I can grasp onto your words and instructions, that will be the greatest treasure and benefit that I will obtain.
Please bless me that I can somehow preach and help in Mahaprabhu’s mission following in your footsteps and the previous acarayas.
All glories to you. Your spiritual son,
Madhura Nityananda Das