Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja,
Daṇḍavat Praṇāma at your lotus feet.
All Glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda and Gaurāṅga.
Guru Mahārāja last one-year even though everyone was affected with Covid, it became an opportunity for me to connect easily with my Bhakti-vṛkṣa members and also start one more Bhakti-vṛkṣa in Tamil this year. It was my long desire and I prayed to you and to Gaurāṅga to give an opportunity to start Bhakti-vṛkṣa class in Tamil and it came as surprise that one person asked for the class all of a sudden. From next week three more people got added and I pray to you and to Gaurāṅga that more and more people join the class to hear Bhagavad-gītā and about Kṛṣṇa.
Also, I always desired to play mṛdaṅga for the Kīrtana. For last 50 years I could not learn and I heard about a class started by Puṇḍarīka Prabhu (Śrī Vallabha Prabhu’s son) and your disciple and I joined the same. Within 6 months he taught me how to play basic mṛdaṅga for kīrtanas and now I am able to play for Kīrtana with confidence. Even though, I am not an expert mṛdaṅga player my desire of playing for the deities at home got fulfilled during this year. Now I am playing everyday morning during the maṅgala-ārtī for the pleasure of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava and Narasiṁhadeva Bhagavān.
Materially also Kṛṣṇa has given me things that I am not qualified for, and I am very grateful for whatever Kṛṣṇa provided to me. I am also trying to contribute to various projects you are initiating e.g., hospital and contribution for various festivities. I continued to pray that Kṛṣṇa give me the desire to contribute more for his pleasure.
As far as my sadhana’s are concerned I am regular in my chanting and one more good thing happened during pandemic is I am able to complete my rounds before 10 a.m. most of the days and now a days I am finishing 10 to 12 rounds immediately after getting up early in the morning. I continue to pray that please bless me to continue my sādhanā without any disruption and take part in various projects of yours. I am also regularly listening to your lectures and also lectures of various devotees throughout the day.
I started reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam last year and I read 10 slokas everyday and by that I completed second canto during this year and I am currently reading chapter 11 in Canto 3.
I really take inspiration from you Guru Mahārāja that with all the health issues you continue your service without any hesitation and with utmost commitment. I do additional rounds every day and also circumambulate Tulasī 8 round every day for your good health. So far, I have submitted 838 rounds of additional chanting, 337 Narasiṁha-kavaca and 3099 tulasī-parikramā and 7 Ekādaśī vratās for your good health.
I am very happy to say that even though pandemic affected everyone it was a blissful year by your and Gaurāṅga’s mercy that I was able to make little progress in the path of devotional service and pray for your mercy to continue to render service to devotees and participate in your projects.
Hare Kṛṣṇa
Your humble servant
Bhagavān Bālāji Dāsa
Gaurāṅgadeśa