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
Respected Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept my most respectful obeisances unto the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
It is said “Pressure creates diamonds and fire refines gold.” You are always a pure devotee but we gradually understand your diamond and gold-like glories when we see the hard struggles you have been doing in terms of your health. Recently when you fell sick in Śrī Māyāpur dhāma and were taken to Rela Institute, Chennai, we were all anxious and worried about you. I was praying to Lord Narasiṁhadeva to kindly recover your health from this great illness and you may resume your service to Śrīla Prabhupāda. But I was wondering if you ever stopped your preaching service for Śrīla Prabhupāda! The answer was NO. Even in your stay in Hospital and later at Ajita Gopīnath prabhu’s place you were preaching to whoever you met. That’s surprising to many of us. I recently heard a class where my śikṣā-guru was explaining the devotees were like Rasagullās, wherever you touch rasa or gratitude comes out. I immediately thought of you Guru Mahārāja, how your heart is overloaded with gratitude for your Guru, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We being physically fit and healthy do not value the gift of Śrīla Prabhupāda and what to say of distributing the mercy of him! But you, through your own example inspire and encourage us to share Kṛṣṇa-consciousness with whoever we meet. That was one of the instructions of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu “yāre dekha tare kaho kṛṣṇa-upadeśa”.
Another thing which always draws my attention towards you, that is, your effort of connecting with your disciples. That’s why you have introduced JPS App from where we get your daily updates. Your JPS e-Care service is another big step of connecting with all your disciples and extending your care for them. Daily you answer to lot of e-mails sent by many devotees all around the world and I personally had such experience that your mail is just not a mail. It’s full of care and concern for us. Practicing bhakti in a relationship with guru is always joyful and easy for a practitioner. And you are the first person who is always eager to build the relationship with your disciples by many means but as a disciple I need to ‘receive’ this opportunity to feel connected with you.
Recently in a Q-and-A session a devotee asked you whether there is any difference between general initiation and virtual initiation. Your answer imprinted in my heart where you said that the most important thing was the disciple felt that he was always connected to his guru. That’s the real meaning of initiation, irrespective of virtual or other way.
Guru Mahārāja, you are always extending to me but now it is my turn to reciprocate with your unconditional love. I have got your shelter and mercy, but I need to prepare my heart to become grateful to actually ‘receive’ the gift.
Seeking your blessing to glorify you and Śrīla Prabhupāda, I thus end here for today.
Your spiritual daughter,
Iśvarī Lalitā Devī Dāsī [dīkṣā]
Pune, India