Dear Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
All glories to you, dear Guru Mahārāja!
Wish you a very happy 74th Vyāsa-pūjā! Each year you inspire us more and more with your tireless service, leadership, and teachings. Like a lighthouse standing tall on the rocky outcrop, you guide us to safe harbor with the light of Caitanya-līlā. We are ever indebted to you dear Guru Mahārāja for sheltering us in this stormy world. This past year I faced some health challenges. While they were not serious, they hampered day to day life significantly. I often struggled to cope with daily duties and services and every time I remembered how you have never let physical challenges impede your mission. You were my constant source of strength and inspiration, dear Guru Mahārāja.
These health issues also meant that my daughter and I could not travel to Māyāpur dhāma along with my husband and other devotees from Sydney. We felt much separation and we pray to Gaurāṅga that we may have the opportunity to get your darśana in the coming year.
Thanks to your mercy and to the guidance of my mentors, I have had the opportunity to teach children’s classes (as part of Bhakti-vṛkṣa classes) over the past few years. I have also been teaching Hindu scripture at the local public school over the past few years. I see these opportunities as special blessings from you, dear Guru Mahārāja, as the children constantly inspire me with their enthusiasm. Their questions provoke thought and I have come to realize that teaching is indeed learning twice. Thank you for your causeless mercy in bestowing such opportunities, dear Guru Mahārāja. I pray for your continued guidance in conducting these classes and seek your blessings for the children.
With the guidance of my mentors, I am adapting the Rāmāyaṇa into teaching material for our children’s classes. Our aim in preparing this material was that in the process of teaching the children about the glorious incarnation of Lord Rāma, they also learn good values, their language skills are strengthened, and they are engaged in fun, Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. The health issues I faced in the last year had slowed the task. By your mercy, I have been able to make progress this year and I seek your guidance and blessings to complete the task at the earliest. It will be my humble offering unto your lotus feet.
As I do every year, on this auspicious Vyāsa-pūjā day, I would like to re-dedicate myself to serving you better. I beg for your mercy to make myself worthy of your benevolence. I also beg for your forgiveness dear Guru Mahārāja, for any offences that I have committed.
I humbly seek your causeless mercy for my husband Śivagati Kṛṣṇa Dāsa, daughter Ananya, for myself and for our families – both material and spiritual – so that we may all stay steady in sādhana, overcome our anarthas and share the gift of Kṛṣṇa consciousness with others. I hear you say repeatedly that the duty of a gṛhastha is to bring up Kṛṣṇa conscious children. Please bless us to be Kṛṣṇa conscious parents, dear Guru Mahārāja so we may help our daughter progress steadily on the spiritual path as she navigates her growing years.
With prayers to Lord Narasiṁhadeva for your good health and long life, I remain your humble servant,
Premapriyā Rādhārāṇī Devī Dasī