Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmin iti nāmine
namo ācāryapādāya nitāi-kṛpa-pradāyine
gaura-kathā dhāmadhāya nagara-grāma tāriṇe
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
I am so blessed to be under your shelter, for the last 34 years since 1984. I am very fortunate to be in touch with Krishna consciousness from Dubai, in 1982 and more fortunate when I relocated to Chennai to be under your shelter when I had the good fortune of meeting you when you made many trips for Ratha Yatra during Pongal and also in search for a land for ISKCON Chennai. From there, our family shifted back to Dubai, with your blessings when you indicated that you were the GBC for ME and blessed us to go and start a congregation there. All this when we were not even initiated. You had directly inspired us to get initiated and my parents and myself were amongst the first batch of initiates in Dubai, UAE.
My attraction for Krishna is still too far away, and my disqualifications are many. I can only think of this quote from Srila Prabhupada, from his letter to Brahmananda 3/10/69 “actually we are all conditioned souls so our demand for Krishna to accept us is unreasonable. From my personal point of view, I think that I am so sinful that I cannot even approach Krishna to show me any favor. But I HAVE ONLY ONE HOPE – MY SPIRITUAL MASTER – HE IS VERY KIND. SO SOME WAY OR OTHER HE IS DRAGGING ME TOWARDS KRISHNA. THAT IS THE ONLY HOPE. Sri Caitanya Charitamrita says therefore : guru Krishnae. By the mercy of the Spiritual Master, and by the mercy of Krishna, one gets into Krishna Consciousness. Narada Muni is our original Spiritual Master and he has dragged so many fallen souls towards Krishna, and we are also hoping to be dragged by Him through the disciplic succession. Otherwise, IF WE STUDY OUR OWN QUALIFICATION, THERE IS NONE – RATHER I HAVE GOT SO MANY DISQUALIFICATIONS”.
You are my only hope, and I rely on your dragging me towards Krishna and Srila Prabhupada and feel I need you to be with us, to not just drag me, but drag our entire family and congregation and the thousands of your disciples and many more thousands to be. At the same time, we will also help you in dragging more souls towards you and towards Srila Prabhupada and towards Lord Krishna and that too by your mercy.
This has been a year where there have been various medical complications in your health and after due deliberations and trying out various treatments, we are clear on the need for transplant and have confidence in Chennai for this. Your Doctors team has been wonderfully working together from all around the world in your service. Amidst all this we have seen you full in spirit as always. You have also written a few times that you are sometimes experience pain, though we are aware that you are transcendental to your body.
SB 8.7.44
tapyante loka-tāpena sādhavah prāyaso janāh
paramārādhanam tad dhi purusasyākhilātmanahIt is said that great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because of the suffering of people in general. This is considered the highest method of worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone’s heart.
We have firm belief that your lila has been well specified in this above verse and even this is the topmost method that you use to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
I am blessed that you have involved me in multiple projects, namely JPS Seva Committee, Biography project, Memorial land project etc. in addition to services in ME and Damodar Desh yatra. I would like to pray that our endeavors to reach out to more people and save many more fallen conditioned souls are blessed by yourself. Our prayers are to you to solicit the Lord’s mercy for such service to be successful
Srila Prabhupada writes in a letter to HG MAdhudvisa pr on 2/14/70 – “such sincere prayer should be submitted not directly to the Lord but through the via-media of His bonafide servitor or representative.
As a member of the Seva Committee of JPSSS, I also will strive to improve devotee care and support to various services to you from the global disciples of yours. We are also laying the foundation for a larger project in your memory in Sridham Mayapur.
Damodardesh yatra’s activities have been going on very well and the exemplary programs we perform have been attracting a steady audience and penetration and we are striving to raise the bar in each of the areas of activity.
We want to focus on reading and sadhana this year and will initiate many programs to achieve good results.
I would like thank you for inspiring me to be in your service. Somehow you have engaged in in service of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya and for little that I do, in an unorganized way, the credit and respect that I accrue often I see is far more that what is deserved.
My children are growing well and happy in Krishna Consciousness and I look forward to them progressing in gaining siksa/diksa and also gradually come upon to support mainstream preaching. And all this is possible also due to the able support of your daughter and my wife Sita Charu dd.
We pray to Sri Sri Radha Madhava & Asta Sakhi, Sri Prahlad Nrsimha, Sri Sri Pancha Tattva and Sri Sri Jagannatha Baladeva & Subhadra deities and all the holy dhams and devotees to continue to give you improved health and for us to serve you in person and serve your mission forever.
Your servant,
Śrī Vallabha Dāsa
Congregation Leader – Dāmodara Deśa