nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatāka svāmin iti nāmine
nama ācaryapādāya nitāi-kṛpā-pradāyine
gaura-kathā-dhāma-dāya nagara-grāma-tāriṇe
Our dear most spiritual father,
Please accept our most humble and respectful obeisance to your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
All Glories to you.
I do not have any qualification to understand your glories. I am unable to understand even a fraction of it. My efforts will be like illustrating the sun using a torchlight. Nevertheless, it is my duty to glorify you. So, just for my purification, here once again I am attempting in my limited knowledge, intelligence and vocabulary, trying to do so.
Our introduction to Prabhupāda’s movement happened in Dāmodara deśa. Initially we had only Friday programs, but then the Bhakti-vṛkṣa programs started and that is what helped us strengthening our base in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Over a period of time, the number of Bhakti-vṛkṣa’s increased in number and the congregation grew manifolds. The whole concept of Bhakti-vṛkṣa is because of your vision on congregational preaching based on Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākura’s writings. This makes possible for more and more people to attend ISKCON related programs, participate in the Yuga dharma of Harināma saṅkīrtana, associate with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books etc. This way they start and make good progress in their spiritual journey back home, back to Godhead. So, all this is possible by your vision, guidance and causeless mercy.
In recent years, in spite of your health problems, you have with great determination and dedication, continued to preach all over the world. Even at the cost of your discomfort, you travel widely and continuously, giving your association to one and all. You want to pass on the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu to all the unfortunate souls of the world who are averse to hearing the spiritual topics. This is nothing but the epitome of Vaiṣṇava-kāruṇya in your heart. You do not let your bodily illness affect your service to guru and Gaurāṅga. Recently, when you were hospitalized, you came out of sedation and realized it was time for a GBC meeting which then you participated from the hospital bed. We hear many anecdotes of your preaching to the hospital staff, taking care of you. Such is your glory!
I understand that you are visiting Dāmodara deśa today. I relocated from there to Kochi last year. Here, I really miss opportunities to meet you. However, I pray that I continue to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda’s movement in your separation and seek your blessings towards that. Here we are yet to recover from the disruptions to the gatherings due to Covid. The Sunday programs have just started but attended only by few. We pray that soon we can go back to normalcy and then add more devotees to our congregation. Kindly bless us that we may continue to study Prabhupāda’s books carefully, share the knowledge with others in whatever capacity that we have, distribute his books, organize and participate in the saṅkīrtana programs, etc. while maintaining our sadhana and purity fault free.
We humbly continue to pray to Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava, Lord Narasiṁhadeva and Pañca-tattva to kindly remember all the nice, wonderful service you have performed to Them and Their devotees and that They may, if They please, give good health enabling you to continue your service to Śrīla Prabhupāda for many years to come.
Kindly forgive us for any offenses committed to you, knowingly or unknowingly.
Your insignificant servants,
Dīnanātha Viṭṭhala Dāsa (dīkṣā)
Nalinī Rukmiṇī Devī Dāsī (dīkṣā)
Saswathy and Śrīnidhi
India (Cochin, Kerala)