Dear Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept my respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! All glories to you, dear Guru Mahārāja!
Wish you a very happy 75th Vyāsa-pūjā! I pray to Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnātha for your speedy recovery from the considerable health issues that you have shared about in recent times so that you are able to carry out Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desires.
As I do every year, on this auspicious Vyāsa-pūjā day, I would like to re-dedicate myself to serving you better. Inspired by your example to engage in constant spiritual study, my wife Premapriyā Rādhārāṇī Devī Dāsī and I have commenced the Bhakti-śāstrī course and have completed one unit thus far. I once again commit to reading your books and listening to your classes regularly, so that I remain connected with your vāṇī. I also beg for your forgiveness dear Guru Mahārāja, for any offences that I have committed. I pray that under your shelter and guidance, I will continue to grow steadily in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and serve you with more love.
To give you an update on some of the services that I’m involved in, through your mercy and my mentor Saṅkīrtana Narottama Prabhu’s guidance, I was fortunate to organize and participate in the Govardhana Pūjā festivities in Nov 2023 at two locations.
My wife and I could not make the trip to Śrī Māyāpur Dhāma this year since our daughter Ananya is preparing for the grade 6 NSW Selective School exams. However, I did the best I could to organize travel and accommodation for several devotees and their families from Sydney to Śrī Māyāpur Dhāma and to make their experience a pleasant one.
Every week, my śikṣā-gurus conduct Bhakti-vṛkṣa classes all over Sydney. Together with a few other devotees, I have been helping with logistical arrangements for prasāda preparation and distribution to the classes. I also help with purchasing items for the Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnātha Temple kitchen and with printing flyers and other materials as per the Temple’s request. I am very grateful to you for the opportunity to use my skills to serve Guru and Gaurāṅga and facilitate the smooth conduct of classes. Although I have been playing a support role until now, I have been given the task of conducting the Harināma Ruci Bhakti-vṛkṣa classes later this year. I pray to you Guru Mahārāja, for your blessings so that I may conduct them with sincerity and humility and be able to share the gift of Kṛṣṇa consciousness with others. I seek your blessings for the Harināma Ruci Bhakti-vṛkṣa devotees.
I humbly seek your causeless mercy for my wife Premapriyā Rādhārāṇī Devī Dāsī, daughter Ananya, for myself and for our families – both material and spiritual – so that we may all stay steady in sādhana and overcome our anarthas. Please bless us to be Kṛṣṇa conscious parents, dear Guru Mahārāja, so we may help our daughter progress steadily on the spiritual path as she navigates her growing years.
I have much to learn from the example you set and pray that I may someday be worthy of your mercy. With prayers to Lord Narasiṁhadeva for your good health and long life, I remain your humble servant,
Śivagati Kṛṣṇa Dāsa,
Sydney, Australia
