Hare Kṛṣṇa, my dear Guru Mahārāja,
Please kindly accept my humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet, offered by Your insignificant servant and the servant of all Vaiṣṇavas.
Guru Mahārāja, my heart is filled with lust for material enjoyment and polluted with many anarthas. Truly, I am not qualified to remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, yet by Your causeless mercy and the mercy of the Vaiṣṇavas, I am somehow able to sustain my spiritual life.
It is only by the blessings of the Vaiṣṇavas and my śikṣā-gurus that I was able to receive initiation from Your Divine Grace. That eternal mercy inherent in all Vaiṣṇavas allowed me the rare opportunity to come to Juhu when You arrived there. By assisting Your personal secretaries in a small way, I received the blessing to serve You, and most significantly, I was able to offer daṇḍavat-praṇāmas to You in person—something I had always aspired for. You fulfilled this long-cherished desire of mine, and that moment became a lifelong inspiration.
On the night before Ekādaśī, February 5th, 2024, I had the unforgettable experience of serving in the night shift. Around midnight, I heard a clicking sound and discovered it was the sound of Your chanting beads—You were chanting the holy names, completely immersed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, embodying the quality of ananya-bhakti described in Bhagavad-gītā 9.14:
satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate
"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion."
Your actions are also the fulfillment of the characteristics of a spiritual master as given by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura in Śrī Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam:
śrī-rādhikā-mādhavayor apāra-
mādhurya-līlā-guṇa-rūpa-nāmnām
pratikṣaṇāsvādana-lolupasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
"The spiritual master is always eager to hear and chant about the unlimited conjugal pastimes of Rādhikā and Mādhava, and Their qualities, names, and forms. The spiritual master aspires to relish these at every moment. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master."
A few days before this, I had the opportunity to read to You during night service. Despite fatigue and decreasing oxygen levels, when it seemed likely the class might be cancelled, You still insisted on coming out to give class, displaying unshakable determination. This is the essence of dakṣatā, again expressed in Gurvaṣṭakam:
tatrāti-dakṣyād ati-vallabhasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Even in Māyāpur, when ill, You ascended the stairs to give Bhāgavatam class. Tears flowed from our eyes. You never made excuses to glorify the Lord and serve the devotees. By such examples, You show us how we too should never give excuses in our devotional service.
Your heartfelt glorification of Your Godbrothers, such as during Your shared class with His Holiness Girirāja Mahārāja in Juhu, revealed Your deep humility and love. You embody the unity and cooperation that Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted among his disciples, as seen when You, HH Gopal Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī Mahārāja, and HH Girirāja Mahārāja installed Lord Caitanya’s footprints together.
By Your mercy, I was blessed with the association of devotees in Hyderabad, the opportunity to do book distribution, and even had the darśana of HH Gopal Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī Mahārāja.
When I first came to Māyāpur in June 2024 for a youth camp led by His Grace Rādhēśyām Prabhuji, I prayed to see You, but You were undergoing treatment in Delhi. Yet, You still gave class on Zoom on the final day. That moment made it clear: Gurumahārāja always hears the desires and prayers of his disciples.
You are the victory flag of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, as beautifully described in the song Doyā Koro More Nitāi by Kānurāma dāsa Ṭhākura:
jaya prema-bhakti-dātā-patākā tomāra
uttama-adhama kichu nā koilo vicāra
"O Lord Nityānanda! You carry the flag that bestows pure love and devotion, making no discrimination between the most fallen and the most elevated."
Despite health challenges, You continuously give Kṛṣṇa in the form of the holy name—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—to one and all.
By Your blessings, I am able to serve in Hyderabad temple and distribute books. Please bless me, Guru Mahārāja, so that I may perform all devotional services enthusiastically and inspire others to engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Kindly empower me so that the qualities You have shown us can manifest in my heart. Help me chant the holy names attentively, for this is the essence of spiritual life.
Please bless me that my lust may be transformed into love for Kṛṣṇa, and that I may honor the association of devotees by serving them humbly.
I know my service is like a tiny grain of sand, like the squirrel helping Lord Rāma build Rāma-setu, but I pray that it may be accepted as part of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission. You are delivering fallen conditioned souls like me through Your mercy.
Once again, I offer my most respectful obeisances at Your lotus feet on this sacred day. I beg You to make me a worthy disciple and servant, and to allow me to assist Your Divine Grace for years to come. I cannot express my gratitude in words for the opportunity to serve You in any small way.
Please forgive me for all my offenses, whether known or unknown.
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Guru Mahārāja!
Your insignificant spiritual son,
Rāsamaya Gopīkesa dāsa
Abids, Hyderabad, Telangana