Hare Kṛṣṇa,
All glories to Śrī Śrī Guru and Gaurāṅga!
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my respectful obeisances unto your divine lotus feet.
The devotees are delighted and encouraged to know that we will be able to celebrate your upcoming Vyāsa-pūjā in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur. Throughout the year, besides all the wonderful festivals glorifying the Supreme Lord – this one day – the Vyāsa-pūjā of one’s spiritual master, is held especially dear to the heart of the disciple.
The guru has very kindly taken the service of connecting the fallen souls to the path of bhakti – which allows the sincere practitioner to triumphantly march their way back to Godhead. As years pass by, I’m more and more astonished at the amazing power and potency of kṛṣṇa-bhakti, being the only power that is able to bring a change in the heart and lives of people.
Preaching in Rural India
Being situated in the rural area, we preach to various villagers which are mostly consisting of tribals. Despite trying whatever innovates ways – nothing works best than Lord Caitanya’s method of harināma-saṅkīrtana. In my recent meeting with you Gurudeva, you told me to see and learn from Māyāpur’s Nāmahaṭṭa system, I’m trying to work on that.
At the same time, when I see others, it makes me think of our own good fortune, somehow we got the mercy to get connected to the paramparā, we got a spiritual master, we got knowledge of God, life and a great senāpati paramahaṁsa mahā-bhāgavata like Śrīla Prabhupāda to always guide us. Many people in general, they are not as fortunate, and it is taking them many many years to come to even appreciate this process. Perhaps this is why bhakti has a characteristic of being su-durlabha.
Your Divine Association
But, the devotees, like Your Divine self are giving out Kṛṣṇa consciousness unlimitedly – to ensure that everyone gets nourished and connected as much as possible. Your constant messages on the JPS App, and updated via various social media handles and especially the monthly letter is extremely inspiring.
Gurudeva, in your classes and writings this past year, you stress about: (1) Reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and taking the ISKCON examinations (2) Gṛhasthas as Paramahaṁsas (3) having many qualified gurus to push on the movement.
Like this, we are constantly guided and trained by you. Sometimes people think, how is it possible for one guru to guide 70,000+ disciples? You have shown the way. That too in a very personal manner.
Your Divine Projects
Looking back at the year, and all your classes and messages – I remember you talk about the various special projects you are personally involved in:
1) TOVP and MOVP projects
2) BSCT project for developing the holy places in Gauḍa-maṇḍala
3) Installing Lord Caitanya’s footprints in the pastimes places around India
4) Compilation of the Caitanya Book
All these that I remember and certainly many more, in addition of your services at Māyāpur, the GBC, the BBT, the FFL and various other ISKCON initiatives. I am unable to assist nor comprehend all these projects, and feel very small at times, having no capacity to even help in one what to speak of all that you are doing.
Gurudeva, despite my lack of assistance to you, I am simply inspired by hearing, reading about these engagements that you are looking after. I pray that if Kṛṣṇa willing, I may become useful to somehow assist you properly in any of your unlimited services to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
My small efforts
I try to preach and share Kṛṣṇa consciousness with all I meet and also try to read and teach/guide others to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. At the moment these are my two constant meditations in all activities that I’m involved in. I’m such a miser in comparison to your gigantic efforts.
“The guru is to be considered either one of the confidential associates - confidante (priya-sakhī) of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī or a manifested representation of Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu.” (Cc Ādi 1.46, purport)
Dear Gurudeva, kindly bless me that I may be able to please you despite my small efforts, because you are so dear to Śrīla Prabhupāda, Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa. If you become even 0.1% pleased with my frailties, then I will perhaps be able to taste the nectar of śuddha-bhakti one day.
Your servant and son,
Hemarūpa Caitanya Dāsa
ISKCON Govardhan Eco Village, Wada, India.
