Dear Guru Mahārāja,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya Kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmin iti nāmine
namo ācāryapādāya nitāi-kṛpa-pradāyine
gaura-kathā dhāma dāya nagara-grāma tāriṇe
Please accept my respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! All glories to you!
On this auspicious occasion of your 75th Vyāsa-pūjā, I shall attempt to glorify you with this poem that I have written, although I have no qualifications. Please forgive me for my shortcomings and foolishness.
On Kamada Ekādaśī, an all-auspicious day,
In Milwaukee, appeared a great soul, Jay.
Lord Caitanya’s eternal associate,
Longest serving sannyāsī to date,
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s victory flag indeed,
You are the 26 qualities of a Vaiṣṇava embodied.
Your dedication towards Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions,
And enthusiasm beyond physical limitations,
Your extended stay in this material world,
Is ever awe-inspiring as your līlā unfurled.
With over fifty thousand disciples under your shelter,
We are grateful for your mercy and compassion forever.
Over a hundred thousand books a month in distribution,
Distributing prasāda within 10 miles for nourishment,
Learnt, adopted and taught farming and cultivation,
Working towards Navadvīpa-mandala development.
Temple of Vedic Planetarium construction,
Revival of holy places and temple establishment,
Ensuring brahmacārīs’ and gṛhasthas’ accommodation,
Unlimited preaching and constant encouragement
Whether in Bengal or Bengaluru, in Kannada or Canada–
You rescue devotees not only drowning in the Gaṅgā but also in the bhava-sāgar.
Being a walking Bhagavat yourself, you are pursuing degrees
To set an example for us and to rid us of our material disease.
Hearing Bhāgavatam from a walking Bhagavat is nectar,
And Caitanya Līlā from His eternal associate can’t get any better.
To never give up, you teach by your own example,
And shower us with your magnanimity ample.
I, a lowly soul, fall at your lotus feet,
With a vow to dedicate my heartbeat-
Only to serve you and work for your pleasure,
For you have given me the bhakti-latā-bīja, the greatest treasure.
I again and again offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who is attached to fulfilling the desires and instructions of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and the previous ācāryas. By bestowing the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu and spreading the glories of the abode, transcendental pastimes and instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you are delivering all the inhabitants of the towns and villages.
I wholeheartedly thank you for accepting this extremely fallen and useless soul under your shelter. I beg for forgiveness for the offences that I have committed, knowingly or unknowingly. I seek your mercy and blessings so that I can fulfil your instructions.
Your spiritual daughter,
Rūpamayī Sudevī dasī
