I offer my respectful obeisances to the most merciful spiritual father, His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami 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
On this most auspicious day I am offering my respectful homage Guru Mahārāja.
In this years homage I thought of reminding myself of the various instructions which your holiness have given to your disciples in your various letters, conversations, classes etc.
First and the foremost is to chant atleast 16 rounds and follow the four regulative principles strictly. Also your holiness suggests to chant a few extra rounds for improvement in your health.
Secondly you always stress on reading Śrīla Prabhupāda books scrutinizingly and then obtain degrees like Bhakti-śāstrī , Bhakti Vaibhava, Bhakti vedānta and Bhakti Sarvabhauma. I am humbly trying to follow this instruction and last year I completed my Bhakti-śāstrī and enrolled for Bhakti Vaibhava.
Then your vision and expectation from all your disciples is to become qualified and eligible to become an acharya. As Śrīla Prabhupāda says "millions of ācāryas" (Śrīla Prabhupāda in one of his lecture in 1975 Aprabhu, Māyāpur)
It's unimaginable for someone like me with a material vision that how your holiness is taking so many responsibilities on behalf of Śrīla Prabhupāda from expanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness unlimitedly, Building TOVP, developing Māyāpur dhāma , developing Navadvīpa maṇḍala, uniting Sārasvat family of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, making more & more disciples and many more.
Now you are also continuing to fulfill the desire of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta saraswati thakur Prabhupāda of installing Lord Caitanya's lotus footprints all over Bharata.
In 1979 in Los Angeles your holiness mentioned "I want to see that you get back to godhead in this life. It is not a botheration. Why am I here for?". Also in Sept 1982 in Murāri sevaka farm your holiness mentioned that there should not be any anxiety when one has accepted a spiritual master as he knows what is good and what is not. There should be tremendous confidence before one accepts a spiritual master. Like these there are so many faith enhancing quotes. I always aspire and beg that I could serve with this much confidence and faith on the spiritual master.
A disciple is one who shoulders the responsibility of his spiritual master. I consider myself completely failing in this respect but still by your mercy I am able to do some services. I would like to mention the status of the vows which I took in last years (2023) Vyāsa-pūjā offering.
1) Scrutinizing complete all Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhagavad-gītā lecture transcripts (Around 450 in Nos.) by Dec 2023 - will be completed by Aug 2024
2) Read 50 Guru Mahārāja lecture transcripts from JPS Archives thoroughly by Dec 2023 - will be completed by Aug 2024
3) Preaching: At least 8 boys to min 4 rounds chanting by Dec 2023 - continuing the weekly programs
4) Book distribution: 50 Bhagavad-gītās/SB by Dec 2023 - Done
5) Learn drive car and cook 5 unique sweets by 31 dec’23 - Learnt 3
A few new vows are:
6) Assisting in Surat youth preaching (in Iskcon Vesu) under the guidance of His Holiness Bhakti Prema Swami Mahārāja
7) Making atleast 1 more 16 rounder devotee in family by Aug 2024 (as of now have two- my father and cousin sister)
8) Completing the assessment and exams of Bhakti Vaibhava sincerely
Also I was very fortunate to get association of your holiness in Ahmedabad in which I could get so much of your personal service for which I willl be eternally grateful. I sincerely seek forgiveness for all my offences unto your holiness and Vaiṣṇavas. I always seek prayers to become humble transparent servant of your holiness and the paramparā.
Thank you so much Gurudeva
Eternally indebted
Your fallen and unworthy disciple praying for your mercy eternally
Harṣavardhana Gaurāṅga Dāsa
Connected to ISKCON Ujjain, India (Writing from Gandhinagar, Gujarat)