All Glories to Srila Gurudev!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmin iti nāmine
namo ācāryapādāya nitāi-kṛpa-pradāyine
gaura-kathā dhāmadhāya nagara-grāma tāriṇe
Dear Gurumaharaj, Please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet, We moved to Melbourne 1.5 years ago from Mathuradesh. Every year we are drawing closer and building deeper love, respect and reverence for you, I feel terrible that I do not have any physical photograph clicked with you and i feel sad that i cannot produce one with this homage as was requested by JPS seva team.
We hear great stories of you here in Melbourne on how you used to spearhead the panihatti festival in Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir for years and the tradition just continues with your remembrances and all devotees just miss you during Big festivals here. everywhere your glories are sung with great love more than any other feeling. We feel fortunate to have your blessings and being your disciple.
As per your blessings last year, we were able to start a Bhakti Vriksha in Elwood Suburb of Melbourne - Australia with 10 souls attending but mostly indians, by your blessings all are enthusiastic and show good interest in learning and slowly are developing taste for chanting. Was able to conduct few Damodar programs in few houses with 75 Ghee lamps offered. We are also participating in Book distribution with whole family along with my 5 year old daughter Aaradhya, attaching her picture and seeking your blessings for her growth in devotion for Krsna and to be able to serve you and Srila Prabhupad with her kirtans in future.
Personal sadhana still needs to improve a lot, any evening programs ruins the next day sadhana and seek your blessings to give me energy to improve my quality of chanting. There is ample scope to expand Bhakti Vrikshas in Melbourne as not many are following weekly modules and developing a Vriksha model. Already by your mercy few Bhakti vrikshas have started to implement weekly modules starting this year and response is quite good with members showing much interest in interactive sessions which happens through weekly module system. Temple President Aniruddha prabhu however insists on Western preaching, currently everyone in our Bhakti Vriksha is indian origin. By your blessings I got the opportunities to serve as part of servant leadership group in Melbourne (JSSS Mel) The leadership group is striving hard to keep all devotees together and render services collectively to make a difference and please you.
Recently I heard Radhanath Swami Glorification of your Holiness that "sometimes Krsna puts His pure devotee in difficulty to Glorify His devotee", then I was thinking for there could have been other ways to Glorify and this persisted with me for while and then realized that this way of Glorification is chosen by Krsna because We mundane people do not understand Your Glories unless you go through this turmoil...
I also felt that Krsna would have felt compelled to do something to Glorify you as you are very Humble and many are not able to grasp your Humility. I do not know how I can serve you, but at the moment I am just moving ahead by observing your messages and live talks in general and just trying to contribute as much as I can along with my family (Suchitra Priya Sakhi DD and Aaradhya).
Please bless us that we perfect our lives this lifetime itself and Go Back Home Back to Godhead Bhakti Vriksha member names needing your blessings:
- Prakash 2. Priyanka 3. Amulya 4. Priya 5. Vishnu 6. Sukanya 7. Pravin 8. Sreepad
Your insignificant disciple,
Ravikula Ramacandra Dasa (Diksa), Melbourne, Australia