Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept my respectful obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda and Your Divine Grace.
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatāka svāmin iti nāmine
nama ācaryapādāya nitāi-kṛpā-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
dhyāna mūlam guru-mūrti
pūjā mūlam gurūr padam
mantra-mūlam gurūr vākyam
mokṣa-mūlam guru-kṛpā
The Guru’s form is the best to meditate upon; the Guru’s feet are the best for worship; the Guru’s word is the mantra; the Guru’s Grace is the root of liberation. [Guru Gītā - Skanda Purāṇa Dialogue between Śiva and Umā (Śakti)]
Dearest Guru Mahārāja,
“One ordinarily does not begin to practice bhakti-yoga unless he has practiced it in previous births. Moreover, one can begin bhakti-yoga only by the mercy of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. The seed of devotional service is obtainable by the mercy of guru, the spiritual master, and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8. 6. 12). As long as I can remember I find I have no spiritual credits, neither have I performed any austerities nor did anything pious in my life. Although I am devoid of all good works, yet I sustain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness solely through your and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy.
Guru Mahārāja, you embody the essence of a Mahā-Bhāgavata devotee. You always rise above innumerable so called physical challenges and shine even more brilliantly. Your tireless efforts in travelling, lecturing, compiling books, initiating and maintaining disciples, guiding well wishers and followers illuminate the path of solace for countless souls trapped in suffering.
Guru Mahārāja on this path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness the highwaymen of lust, anger, greed etc., have bound me around the neck with the painful, horrible, powerful ropes of many wicked deeds. It’s not possible for me to face them. Being caught in their clutches I am being killed. In such a destitute condition calling to you for protection helps me to navigate through these obstacles.
Oh Guru Mahārāja, my heart is full of contaminated desires to Lord over this world and my mind is full of deviousness and hypocrisy and my senses are uncontrolled and the embarrassing thing is that even in such a distressful condition I am not seeking shelter of Your Divine lotus feet which is the perfection that fulfills all desires.
SB 7.7.30-31 enjoins “prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Everyone has his life, his wealth, his intelligence and his words, and all of them should be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the via medium of the spiritual master.” I pray to your lotus feet that someday I can develop that mood of surrender so that I can render some service for your pleasure.
Currently, I am serving as assistant to the Executive committee (comprising three Co-Presidents) of ISKCON Ujjain. I am also pursuing Bhakti-śāstrī, regularly try to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books, hear lectures of His Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda, Your Holiness or other bona fide devotees. During maṅgala-ārati, I pray before deities if they so desire You can always remain well. Guru Mahārāja, I also try to serve your god siblings considering them as an expansion of your mercy. I am serving as a brahmacārī, initially there were some hindrances to it but now by your mercy my parents have become quite conducive for me to be in the temple.
Guru Mahārāja in Dec 2023, I had the good fortune of visiting Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, where I was able to get your transcendental and divine association. In Śrīdhāma Māyāpur the most cherished desire of my heart to touch Your Divine lotus feet came true and by your mercy and divine arrangement of His Holiness Bhakti Prema Swami Mahārāja I got the opportunity to offer you Narasiṁha Pavitram from Śrī Śrī Prahlādeśa Narasiṁhadeva at ISKCON Ujjain.
Guru Mahārāja, I know I am guru-bhogī, a burden on Your Holiness so I seek your blessings to aspire and to try to become guru-sevī. On this your most auspicious appearance day I pray to Your Holiness to appear in my heart through your divine instructions and benedict me that may my only desire be to be the dust of your holy feet in every birth I may take, prati-janme kari āśā caraṇera dhūli and may I become your eternal servant and have no other refuge except for You tumi binā anya gati nāi.
Your Unworthy but Fortunate Servant,
Akṣara Govinda Dāsa (Dīkṣā)
ISKCON Ujjain Temple, Madhya Pradesh, India