oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
To my dearest, beloved spiritual father,
Please except my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Guru and Gaurāṅga! All glories to Jagad-guru, Śrīla Prabhupāda and all glories to Your Loving Divine Grace!
Wish you a very, very happy appearance day dear Guru Mahārāja!!!
As I hear more of your never-ending transcendental pastimes from godbrothers and sisters, they make me realize even more how lucky that I am to have the opportunity to take shelter of the guidance of an exalted personality like yourself.
Your qualities are endless. You are the perfect disciple, extremely merciful, personal, selfless, humorous, humble, loving, compassionate and completely transcendental. You always put our needs in front of yours and your love for Guru and Gauranga is infectious.
This year I have realized even more how caring, loving and personal you are. Whenever, I have been in distress this year, you always find the perfect words to comfort me. Thank you very much for all your selfless guidance and for showering your mercy upon a fallen soul like me! I can never express just how much your prayers and blessings mean to me and how much I love you. You are the perfect spiritual father.
This year by your mercy I have been able to continue facilitating weekly Bhagavad-gītā and Nectar of Instruction saṅga’s for girls and have become a Paṇḍava Sena mentor. I have also given two Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam summary chapter classes and have been giving monthly Bhagavad-gītā classes at Bhativedanta Manor. My family and I also distributed 556 of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books including four Caitanya-caritāmṛta and four Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets. I also helped organized a 10 mile charity harināma to raise money for Food For Life London and am currently helping to organize the monthly UK and Ireland JSSS meetings to try and please you.
I cherish my first meeting with you at Heathrow airport seven years ago where you blessed me with your lotus hands and shortly after gave me service at the Birmingham retreat to try and somehow prove that there was a link between Kṛṣṇa consciousness and happiness. I apply the Narasiṁhadeva oil that you applied on yourself and gifted to me daily and wish for it to never end. I also fondly remember the time when I got to sing Yadi Prabhupāda Na Haito in Gujarati for you in Birmingham for your 50th sannyāsa anniversary and offer you ārati in your visit before to the UK. I long for this again. Here I have named only a few of my treasured moments in your transcendental association because of limited space, but every interaction I have with you feels so magical that I never want them to come to an end. I can’t wait to read your recent Chaitanya book transcriptions in full when they are published as well.
Please can you pray that I never do anything to displease you and have the strength to dedicate my life to helping you fulfil Prabhupāda’s mission. Also, I pray that I can continue to get your transcendental association and guidance forever and to remain a speck of dust at your lotus feet.
Lots and Lots of Love Always,
Your spiritual daughter, servant and the most insignificant soul,
Śyāmavallabha Gopī Devī Dāsī
(Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK)