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
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya Kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
I beg to offer You my most respectful obeisances at Your Divine lotus feet.
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and You.
On the most auspicious occasion of your appearance day, I want to again and again offer my humble prayers at your lotus feet. In scriptures, it is enjoined, how for a disciple, the appearance day of the spiritual master is the most significant. How a living entity wandering in millions of species for unlimited lifetimes, meets a bona-fide spiritual master by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and thus receives the transcendental seed of devotional service. By Lord’s arrangement and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy, a year ago, wandering for pure, spiritual guidance had I come to the shelter of your lotus feet.
Once, in Dallas, in one of your Caitanya Classes, it was mentioned, how in Kumbha-Melā, one of the disciples had asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, how despite of having no qualifications or any interest in taking to devotional service, they had come to this exalted process of devotional service unto the Lord, and Śrīla Prabhupāda had said, he had made good fortune for them, in the same way Śrīla Guru Mahārāja, even though I was not qualified to take to this exalted process of devotional service, you have made good fortune for this insignificant servant that I may engage in this devotional service under your loving shelter.
You, my most merciful spiritual father, are the epitome of selfless service towards your spiritual master, teaching each one of us by your personal example, how a disciple should make the words, the instructions of the spiritual master, his very life and soul. Unlimitedly merciful, are you, having accepted this insignificant servant at your loving shelter.
In sāstras, there is a mention of a verse, which comes in the sixth chapter of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Lilāmrita, wherein Śrīpāda Mādhavendra Purī says,
“Let the sharp moralists accuse me of being illusioned; I do not mind. Experts in Vedic activities may slander me as being misled, friends and relatives may call me frustrated, my brothers may call me a fool, the wealthy mammonites may point me out as mad, and the learned philosophers may assert that I am much too proud. Still, my mind does not budge an inch from the determination to serve the lotus feet of Govinda, though I am unable to do it.”
Similarly, in life, there may not be many situations or people which are always favourable for service, but yet I still beg to continue and serve your lotus feet – always and worship your instructions by following them as my life and soul with great determination. Though I may lack in many ways, you still mercifully engage in your service, overlooking my faults, and helping me, guiding me on how to rectify my mistakes, just like the father never considers the mistakes of his child, yet is always merciful towards him. I am deeply grateful to you, for every sphere of devotional services that I am given and I am able to do, is ultimately – your causeless mercy.
I pray to become much more of a sincere disciple and make you proud one day, please bless me on your most auspicious day, may your instructions always be my life and soul. Whatever I have heard and continue from you, which ultimately comes from your heart, where Lord Gaurāṅga eternally resides, may always be manifest in my heart and I never forget your instructions and always follow them until eternity. I want to study Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books more attentively and thus be able to preach the same, as it is, please let me be an insignificant instrument in your hands to connect more souls to your and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lotus feet and the mission of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Though utterly unqualified and without virtues do I stand, your mercy is all I can look upto. Please bless me, may whatever service I am able to perform, be offered in the humble mood of selfless offering at your lotus feet, may I continue to serve you more and more and for an eternity from this very life onwards. Please bless me, may service to your lotus feet be forever be my object of attachment and your instructions, my life and soul, even lifetime after lifetime.
All Glories unto you,
My Most Merciful Spiritual Father..
Your Insignificant Servant,
Bhaktin Swāhālī Swain.