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
All glories to Śrīla Guru Mahārāja! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Once I was fortunate to get a letter from Guru Mahārāja. Guru Mahārāja had written in it that ISKCON is a big family with spiritual Grandfather Śrīla Prabhupāda, spiritual father, spiritual uncles, godbrothers and sisters, spiritual cousins. Now in this total big joint family of ISKCON, Guru Mahārāja has a special role. Guru Mahārāja is a BIG GOD FATHER for all. In the whole of ISKCON, Guru Mahārāja plays this special role of taking care of everyone, keeping the family together as a big force to keep the family as one. He has that special mood of being there for his godbrothers and sisters, nephews and nieces and his disciples. It is a whole big family and Guru Mahārāja as a caretaker, a special loving big hearted kind caretaker. And Guru Mahārāja does this as a true representative of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Guru Mahārāja had also written in that letter that one should read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and follow what is written in it. It was a most wonderful instruction to get. And these days Guru Mahārāja is emphasizing so much the reading and studying of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. I pray for Guru Mahārāja’s blessings to read and study Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. I seek blessings for my husband His Grace Gopāla Caraṇa Dāsa and my son Gopikrishnan too.
I pray that I can be a good spiritual daughter and somehow someday make my spiritual master happy and serve him well.
Your humble servant,
Prabhavi Gopī Devī Dāsī,
Trivandrum, India