My Dear Spiritual Father,
Please accept my most respectful obeisances unto your divine lotus feet. All glories to Gauranga!! All glories to Shrila Prabhupada!
The last year was a very remarkable year, where everyone’s lifestyle had a forceful and drastic change, the entire world was stagnant, which also led to effect the mental health of many people, Gurudev, it was at these times, that we felt extremely fortunate to be in this wonderful association of devotees, headed by the most magnanimous personality such as yourself. Just in the beginning of the lockdown, you started doing house visits which made us feel so connected with you, Gurudev. Only you could think of something so valuable with respect to devotee care, which you constantly try to improve. You have taken up so many initiatives in the past and still continue to do so, to reach out to all your disciples. All Glories to you Gurudev! Now, although physically meeting devotees was not possible, new online platforms were soon brought to life, inspired by you off course, who had always used social media to preach and reach out to everyone.
In one way, these online platforms had an advantage where one could be a part of a program from the comfort of one’s house. These new possibilities brough out opportunities for conducting online programs such as Bhagavad Gita sessions and Bhakti Vriksha programs. Devotees all over the world were inspired by the exemplary way you have been preaching for so many years. We, the devotees of Baroda led by HG Mantresh Gauranga Prabhu and Nityayogini Mataji, also conducted these programs in various languages.
While the world couldn’t celebrate some of the festivals, the devotees had the greatest fortune of witnessing the festivals online. Usually, we all attend the local temple festivals and do not get a chance to attend the festivities in Mayapur Dham, however this year gave us the opportunity to whole-heatedly attend all the grand festivals that take place in Mayapur which was breath-takingly wonderful. All glories to you, Gurudev, and all the secretaries who are constantly by your side, who were the main force behind organizing all the activities online, for all of us, to be a part of it. The Navadwip Mandal Parikrama which everyone dreams of being a part of, was also organized online for us to reap the benefits of doing the parikrama.
Although we did get plenty of benefits, HH Bhakti Charu Maharaj and some great vaishnavas, who were affected by COVID, left this world and you, Gurudev, pledged to take care of those left behind, to take care of them and give your ever welcoming shelter. You are so merciful, Gurudev.
It was the 1st of Jan, we were in Mathuradesh, when you were visiting the homes of Bengali devotees, where we came to about you being affected by COVID, and even during that moment you were so kind and merciful that you first gave darshan to all the devotees and then towards the end, told this news, knowing that the mood of the entire meeting would change had you told this before. You are so considerate in all of your dealings by paying attention to all the details. Devotees all over the world were praying for your recovery, chanting extra rounds, doing tulsi pradakshina, reciting Narsimha Kavacha and performing sacrifices for your well-being, making us think, of how in each and every situation, you are helping all of us increase our devotional service towards the Lord, whatever the situation maybe, another example of showing just how kind and thoughtful you are. Just as soon as you were recovered from COVID, you were diagnosed with typhoid. Even during this troubled time, you did not give up any of your services, you continued with your daily activities like always, showing by your example, again and again, how one should never give up devotional service under any circumstances.
I cannot even begin to repay for the love and mercy that you so benevolently shower upon us, mainly because I can’t even begin to fathom the various activities you do in your situation for others. This is extraordinary and beyond my imagination, which makes me realize just how fortunate we all are to have you as our spiritual master, our father, our ever well wisher! Please bless me, Gurudev, that I may be able to get even an atomic level of the immense dedication you have towards Shrila Prabhupada in serving him, even now, in fulfilling your commitments unto him. You still follow all these instructions, like distributing a particular number of small books and big books every month, another example of just how kind and thoughtful you are.
On this most auspicious day of your Vyasapuja, I pray to Sri Sri Radha Madhav, Sri Narsimhadev, Sri Sri Panchatatva and Sri Sri Sri Jagannath Baladev Subhadramai Sudarshan chakra for your well being so that we may be able to have your association for a very very long time.
Your insignificant spiritual daughter,
Rasapriya Radharani Devi Dasi
( Diksha Disciple )
Baroda, India
