Dear Śrīla Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja,
Please accept my respectful obeisances in the dust of Your blessed feet! All glories to You! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! All glories to the guru-paramparā!
On this auspicious day of Your Appearance, all of us, Your disciples, feel immense joy and gratitude for everything You have done for each of us. You are an ocean of mercy and compassion for all living beings. You are a perfect example of service to Your Guru, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You are ready to do anything to bring joy to Śrīla Prabhupāda. You are His dear disciple. Your determination is truly astonishing. Despite Your health challenges, You never give up and continue to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda. Someone once asked You about the bodily suffering You experience. You replied, "Ask the one who is suffering." This is truly inspiring—You have risen above the bodily conception of life.
It has been twenty years since You blessed this fallen soul with Your mercy, giving me shelter in the dust of Your lotus feet by accepting me as Your disciple and granting me initiation. Now, by Your mercy, Kṛṣṇa has allowed me and my family to live and serve in Māyāpur-dhāma. My daughter, Subhadrā, is studying at the Vaiṣṇava school here in Māyāpur. My wife, Lalitā Rādhā, assists me in service. I am very happy to be here, participating in harināma and saṅkīrtana under the guidance of Vanamālī Keśava Prabhu.
This could have only happened by Your mercy. Dear Guru Mahārāja, I feel unworthy and fallen, incapable of anything, but by Your mercy, everything is possible.
I humbly beg You to make me a perfect instrument in service to Your lotus feet, the Vaiṣṇavas, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Please bless me so that all material desires leave my heart and that only the desire to serve and participate in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission grows stronger each day. Please bless me with the ability to chant the pure holy name of the Lord. I sincerely desire to serve You and be of use in serving Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission.
Your unworthy eternal servant,
Aśeṣa Gopāla dāsa