Nama Om Vishnu padaya Krsna presthaya bhutale
Srimate Jayapataka swamin iti namine
Nama Acharya padaya Nitai kripa pradayine
Gaura katha dhaam daya nagaragrama tarine
Dear Gurumaharaj!
Please accept my respectful obeisances at your divine feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to ISKCON, all glories to Sri Gauranga, all glories to you!
On this auspicious day of your appearance, I was remembering one thought, i.e. “A devotee can perform any service to Lord or His vaishnavas through a transparent media of his Gurudev only”. Though this thought urges me to feel exclusively dependent upon you to perform any service, but less often it clicks in my mind.
On this day, I desire a blessing of your association by my side in all the devotional acts, which I will perform in future. I believe that your remembrance before performing any service, would mean that You are with me to help me. Please bless me so that I will have this attitude of remembering you and exclusive depending upon you for all the services I perform.
Gurumaharaj, Covid-19 pandemic-2020 came as blessing upon me as I was missing association of mysiksha guru, HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami Maharaj since I have shifted to Chandigarh from Bangalore. Both myself and my wife are participating in Bhakti Shastri online classes organised by Bhaktivedanta Academy, Coimbatore under Maharaj’s guidance since September 2020.
I have been performing no other active seva apart from attending Bhakti Shastri and taking care of my Vaishnava family (my wife and daughter). So, as on offering of gratitude to you, I have brought below a few of mine Aa-ha realisations (as Maharaj says) of the course till date for your pleasure:
1) Progress in Krishna consciousness will not happen just by mechanically chanting Hare Krishna and services, one must understand his present status and put conscious efforts for further progress by making “Doable plans with timelines” to implement teachings of scriptures. One must introspect/examine his internal progress regularly because anything which can be measured/examined can only be controlled. INTROSPECT—PLAN—ACT—INTROSPECT (Continuous loop)
2) 1st milestone/duty is mind and senses control or Vega control or establishing in mode of goodness (free from lower modes). This will enable the mind of practitioner to be conducive for performing further progress.
3) Very important milestone on path to Krishna Prema is to reach Nistha or Brahma-bhuta platform. Brahma-bhuta stage is equivalent to full faith or surrender (exclusively dependent upon mercy of Lord); stage of realisation of one’s real identity (eternal servitor) and of Lord’s position; stage of steady intelligence; stage of freedom from influence of three modes of material nature; Stage of Personal awakening (seeing, thinking, feeling, willing and acting at Spirit soul platform and giving up impersonal tendencies); Giving up desires for personal sense-gratification; and initiation of getting steady taste in Bhakti.
This stage is achieved by more and more Bhajan-kriya (devotional services) and by mercy of Lord.
4) Faith on Lord is like lubrication of vehicle moving towards Krishna Prema. Faith means unflinching trust on Krishna, i.e. He knows and desires our real self-interest only, so let happen whatever Lord desires for us. Such faith gives surety of success.
5) Every act of pure devotee like you (Gurumaharaj), Guru, Krishna is an act of GIVING. We must be therefore grateful to Krishna and Guru for rendering all their acts of giving and must give back by performing pure devotional service being eternally indebted to Them. BECOME A GIVER, NOT JUST TAKER.
The above milestones like nistha stage etc. can be achieved by mercy of Lord, which in turn is achieved by Gurudev’s mercy. Gurumaharaj, I pray that kindly bestow your blessings upon this fallen soul to reach the level of Nistha quickly so that I can be of some use to you and Srila Prabhupada’s mission. Please bless me that I get the attitude of a GIVER.
At last, I pray to Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, Panchatattva and Lord Narsimhadev to give you long life to guide us by your Vani and actions and to deliver many souls waiting all around the world.
Your servant
Amrta Krsnanama dasa
Chandigarh (Diksha disciple)