Dearest Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept my respectful
obeisances again and again on this magnificent day of your appearance! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!! Jaya Gurudeva!
You have told us that Prabhupāda said it was appropriate to give some report on our devotional activities at this time of Vyāsa-pūjā. Here goes:
I am so grateful for the shelter of New Talavan. It is only by your mercy that my family and I are here. With your continued blessings, it’s been almost 38 years since you arranged that we come. All three of my grown children are still at New Talavan with their families and now, by your mercy, the third generation of our family is experiencing the shelter of this holy place. I have no words to express my gratitude.
Headed up by our Śrī Raga Prabhu, the new Temple is manifesting day by day. It’s quite amazing, as only four or 5 devotees are working on it steadily over the last year. We can understand that Lord Caitanya has a plan to spread His glories in this remote corner of the world. We are depending on Him to send more sincere souls to assist in this, His mission to bring us all back Home.
Our Dvibhuja Prabhu is dedicated to becoming more and more
self-sufficient by overseeing an incredible vegetable garden. He and Danakeli dd and Śukadeva, with occasional helpers, are bringing in an almost endless supply of bhoga for Their Lordships and the devotees. There are times when we sit down for prasadam and every single fruit and vegetable has come from New Talavan! Thank you Kṛṣṇa! Jaya Vaisnavas!
No one ever worries whether or not the cows are being taken care of because my son Nārāyaṇa and his wife, Jayanti Sakhi dd, have given their lives for that service. They have helped with the cows since they were children. Sometimes I think they were born for this. Nothing gives them more satisfaction and I am so grateful that they have the gift of that connection to Guru and Kṛṣṇa. A young Russian devotee, Kanti dd, came here a few years ago and was afraid of cows actually. Now she milks them every day, morning and evening and helps care for them. They are like her children. We all love and appreciate her.
We are trying to care for Their Lordships, Śrī Śrī Rādhā Rādhākanta, Śrī Śrī Gaura Nitāi and Śrīla Prabhupāda, nicely. I know that we sometimes fall short, especially with being always on time but, still, They kindly manifest Their beauty more and more! Casting Their merciful glances, They are decorated daily with the flowers of New Talavan’s forests, fields and gardens. We hardly ever buy flowers and are quite sure that They are pleased with this service. Our kitchen crew-Mahalaxmi Rādhā dd, Bhakti Mohinī dd, Tamal Kṛṣṇa das and others, work hard to feed Them sumptuously.
Devotees headed up by Murāri Gupta das along with his wife Sati dd and our dear Mother Prsni and others, go out on Harinam Sankirtan in New Orleans many Saturdays. They are enthusiastic to give the Holy Name, mantra cards and books.
Two of the ladies here, Nrsimha Laxmi dd and Gopīparāṇadhana dd have formed a Bhakti Players Group of young adults, children and sometimes their parents, that make presentations on Sundays and for festivals.
Thank you for encouraging us to read and study Prabhupāda’s books. Devotees here are becoming more serious to do just that and for me personally, it is due to your example and inspiration.
And of course there are others of Prabhupāda’s faithful followers here “in the trenches”, seeing that things go on and increase so that his vision of “simple living and high thinking” becomes manifest more and more.
We are hoping that you can come see us before too long. We know you love New Talavan and the devotees here. We will be so happy to have the chance to serve you and hear from you. Please bless us that we will carry on in spite of all challenges and that we will work together to please you and Śrīla Prabhupāda. Jaya Gurudeva! Jaya Gaurahari!!
Your very low spiritual daughter,
Haridhvani Devī Dāsī