Dear Gurumaharāj,
Please accept my most humble obeisance’s at your lotus feet.
All Glories to HDG Śrīla Prabhupāda and all the Ācārya’s in our Paraṁparā.
This is my 1st Vyāsapūja offering at your lotus feet, please forgive me for my ignorance.
I lived 40 years of my precious life in complete ignorance doing all kinds of sinful activities and leading an unregulated life. Coming from a God fearing Hindu family, I use to treat all Gods as equal and use to visit temples on special days with big list of material demands, I respect all religion alike with a belief we all have chosen different path but destination is same.
My friend who is a Christian, took me to church and I use to visit church with family every Sunday and glorify god. He was insisting me to read Bible and said this is the only path to god against my belief system as mentioned above. When I was pushed to read Bible, I got an inner voice that I born to a Hindu family not by my choice, but it’s God’s plan and if I have to read any scripture then I need to start with Bhagavad Gītā 1st then I will read Bible too. Since then my search to understand god, my purpose of life and what is our relationship started. All thanks to my friend who pushed me to read Bible for starting my spiritual journey, please bless my friend.
One fine day in September 2020, by mercy of Gaurāṅga and HDG Śrīla Prabhupāda, I got a poster of 18 days online Bhagavad Gītā course being conducted in ISCKON Mangalore under the aegis of HG Nāma Niṣṭha Prabhu. Since that day, by blessings of HG NND Prabhu and devotees my life has taken a complete U turn, started following all 4 regulative principles. My entire family has taken up Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement. I have started chanting daily 16 rounds of Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahāmantra from 31st Dec 2020, and by mercy of Guru and Gaurāṅga chanting minimum 25 rounds daily now, my wife does 20 rounds daily, my son Pranav.V.S - 12years old and daughter Shreya.V.S-9years old also does 16 rounds chanting daily and in my limited capacity trying to preach glories of Holy name and Bhagavad Gītā and serving as Bhakti Vṛkṣa leader under ISKCON Mangalore – Sri Sri Rādhā Govinda Mandir.
Gurumaharāja, when I hear mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhū and Nityānanda prabhū who went door to door distributing Kṛṣṇa Prema, and even liberated Jagāi and Madāi. Instead of taking shelter of Nitāi-Gaurāṅga, I missed the opportunity and continue to take births in this Dukhālayam, I feel am even more sinful than Jagāi and Madāi. More I read HDG Śrīla Prabhupādaś Books and listen to Senior Devotees, more I realize how helplessly I have entangled in this material world trying to satisfy my own senses, my conditioning and inner anarthas are haunting me. However, through devotee’s association, Sādhanā and Service I am trying hard to purify my anarthas. My only hope in this life is your shelter, I have applied for Guru Āśraya and eagerly waiting or that fortunate day, I see my inner anarthas as an Ocean and trying to dry up with a hope you will give me shelter just like Garuḍa Dev come to the rescue of little sparrow.
Gurumaharāja, on your Vyāsapūjā I sincerely pray to Sri Sri Gaura-Nitāi and HDG Śrīla Prabhupāda to give you lot more strength, good health and long life, so that you can continue to deliver many fallen conditioned souls like me from these material entanglements through your preaching services and causeless mercy. Somehow, by shear mercy of Guru and Gaurāṅga this life I have come into this movement, now I don’t want to turn back for any reason and utilize this life to serve as a menial servant and engage in unalloyed devotional service at your lotus feet and contribute till my last breath for preaching mission of HDG Śrīla Prabhupāda and Sankīrtana movement of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhū. Please bless me to rise in my Faith, Devotion and Love to serve Sri Rādhā Kṛṣṇa, Gaura Nitāi & Pañca Tattva under your shelter and association of Pure devotees eternally.
Santosh.V.K (Aspiring for your humble Shelter and Dīkṣā)
Bangalore