Dear Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept the obeisances of this unworthy spiritual son, at Your most auspicious lotus feet, on this most auspicious occasion of Your 73rd Vyāsa-pūjā. All glories to Śrī Guru and Gaurāṅga, All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Guru Mahārāja, You are a genuine follower of Śrīla Prabhupāda. You have made Śrīla Prabhupāda yours by making his instructions your way of leading life. You have declared yourself as the best servant of Śrīla Prabhupāda by living just to carry out his orders, making them your life and soul. Your activities are exemplary as you have imbibed Śrīla Prabhupāda Himself fully, befitting a perfect disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Guru Mahārāja, your thoughts, your words, your activities are always full of pure devotion to Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Gaurāṅga. Whenever I see you, whenever I hear you, whenever I think of you, I am reminded of Your strong conviction and unflinching determination in your dedication to His Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda’s movement which is second to none.
O my beloved spiritual master, I worry many times that I missed Śrīla Prabhupāda by mere thirty years and that makes me feel very dejected. My only solace at such times is that I have got shelter at your most merciful lotus feet. What better place could I have asked for, in both the spiritual and material worlds, to take shelter in, than your divine lotus feet? I am a conditioned soul wandering in the material universe for time immemorial. Other than taking initiation from you, I don’t find myself doing anything else to engage in devotional service. This absolutely is my irresponsibility and wretched insincerity. Though māyā is very strong, it’s clear that I have myself held on to it very tightly. I know that it’s not going to help me in any way, but I don’t have the spiritual strength to fight māyā that comes through my material desires, anger and greed. This spiritual strength is what I need.
ekakī āmāra, nāhi pāya bala,
hari-nāma-saṅkīrtane
tumi kṛpā kori’, śraddhā-bindu diyā,
deho’ kṛṣṇa-nāma-dhane
I don’t deserve it Guru Mahārāja. But if you don’t give me the strength then, to whom else can I ask it. I will try my best to follow all of your instructions. Particularly, my reading and hearing of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books is very less and I want to improve it as much as possible. Just the thought that You will be hearing this offering someday, inspires me to fight back my anarthas and overcome my spiritual drawbacks. I am sure Gurudeva that someday I will do it completely by your mercy and become worthy to be your disciple.
cakhu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei,
divya jñān hṛde prokāśito
I humbly weep at your lotus feet Guru Mahārāja- please, please allow me to be your servant eternally.
Your insignificant disciple,
Hemavarṇa Caitanya Dāsa
Vellore, India