Dear His Holiness Jayapatākā Swāmī Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept my humblest obeisances unto Your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! All glories to Your Divine Holiness!
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatāka svāmin iti nāmine
nama ācāryapādāya 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
Guru Mahārāja,
I have become completely blank and speechless, unable to find the right words to write to You. Yet with great humility, I beg strength and intelligence from Śrīla Prabhupāda and Your Holiness to open my heart before You. Whatever I offer is insignificant, but it is all I have—my heart and my life. Please accept this humble offering and make my life successful through Your causeless mercy.
Without Your mercy, my spiritual master, I have no hope of attaining pure devotional service. As it is beautifully stated:
guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya,
ār nā koriho mane āśā
śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati,
je prasāde pūre sarva āśā
You are so merciful and compassionate, Gurudeva. You have offered the shelter of Your lotus feet to thousands of conditioned souls like me. Your intense desire to please Śrīla Prabhupāda, and the enthusiasm with which You preach, make You the epitome of dedication. Simply remembering You purifies the heart, for Your presence is deeply sanctifying.
Through Your divine shelter, we are connected to Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. We are holding Your lotus hand, and You are holding Śrīla Prabhupāda’s hand, who in turn is firmly holding the hand of Nityānanda Prabhu, who is tightly holding Mahāprabhu’s own.
yogyatā-vicāre, kichu nāhi pāi,
tomāra karuṇā-sāra
karuṇā nā hoile, kāndiyā kāndiyā,
prāṇa nā rākhibo āra
I am a most fallen and unqualified soul—filled with desires for sense gratification, ego, and material ambition. Yet, Your boundless compassion has extended to even me. You have accepted my insignificant services and given me instructions so precious, they forever bind me in the debt of Your mercy.
Guru Mahārāja, I still remember Your very first instruction regarding initiation. Though I did not meet You directly, You delivered that instruction through a devotee, and told them to forget it afterward, revealing Your transcendental and inconceivable nature.
But I am so unworthy that even after receiving Your merciful guidance, I fail to properly follow. I remain entangled in māyā, which still appears more pleasing to my impure heart than the bliss of serving You.
viṣaya-viṣama-viṣa satata khāinu,
gaura-kīrtana-rase maghāna nā hāinu
Maharāja, I beg You—please grant me the shelter of Your lotus feet, Your mercy, and strength. Only the dust from Your feet can save me. As stated:
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasized that we must associate with pure devotees, and there is no one more qualified and compassionate than You. Please, accept this most fallen soul, and grant me the strength to follow Your instructions and correct my countless offenses.
Only by Your mercy can I hope to attain pure devotional service.
Tomāra kiṅkara āmi,
Rohneet Singh (Aspiring)
IYF Chandigarh