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
Dearest Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept our most respectful humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
In the śāstra it is said:
ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruḥ
“One should know the ācārya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.” (SB 11.17.27)
Śrīla Guru Mahārāja, this year has been very special for us as we were able to take darśana of your lotus feet after five long years. When we met you in New Pānihāṭi dhāma, Atlanta, we found the whole room was enlightened with your effulgence. Everybody was listening to your nectarean Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes with rapt attention. Seven families from ISKCON of Silicon Valley were there and with many Godbrothers and Godsisters present there, it felt like a real glimpse of the Goloka Vṛndāvana. This is your magic, Śrīla Guru Mahārāja. You keep everyone present in the present. You surcharge everybody around with spiritual cit potency so that they become more encouraged to perform devotional service. When you left the airport, we felt your separation very deeply. Simultaneously, we were grateful to Your Divine Grace.
Dear Ācāryapāda, we continued preaching through Bhakti-vṛkṣa and student classes online. I (Koladvīpa) am taking the Bhakti-vaibhava course as per instruction and already completed three semesters. I have been speaking to Bangladeshi devotees as well which is a constant source of my inspiration, and it is keeping me close o your lotus feet. Recently, I started speaking in Berkeley temple apart from my regular classes in ISKCON of Silicon Valley.
We are under the able shelter of your exalted godbrother and godsister His Grace Vaiśeṣika Prabhu and Her Grace Nirakula Mātājī. I am planning to take them to Bangladesh in near future. Please bless me so that it comes into reality very soon and they can inspire thousands of dedicated souls to distribute Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. We continuously pray to the lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Madana-mohana, Śrīmān Mahāprabhu, Śrī Śrī Lakṣmī-Narasiṁhadeva, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and all the previous ācāryas to shower Their choicest blessings upon you for your continuous better health. Also, we ask for forgiveness at your lotus feet for the offences we are committing knowingly or unknowingly because of our lack of attention and sincerity.
Eternally Sheltered at your lotus feet,
Koladvīpa Prāṇa Dāsa
Sīmantinī Sakhi Devī Dāsī
Rai Mandali Sikder
