All Glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet, dear Guru Mahārāja.
On this auspicious occasion, I want to express my gratitude as a disciple. Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī writes in his Mukta-carita:
nāma-śreṣṭhaṁ manum api śacī-putram atra svarūpaṁ
rūpaṁ tasyāgrajam uru-purīṁ mathurīṁ goṣṭhāvatīm
rādhā-kuṇḍaṁ girivaram aho rādhikā-mādhavāśāṁ
prāpto yasya prathita-kṛpayā śrī-guruṁ taṁ nato ‘smi
I am fully indebted to Śrī Gurudeva because he has given me so many things:
The highest conception of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa—the highest form of sound, which contains the highest form of thought, aspiration, ideal, and everything. He has given me the service of our great savior, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and His dearmost assistant, Svarūpa Dāmodara. He has brought me in connection with Śrī Rūpa, who was ordered to distribute the heart’s innermost dealings—the highest devotional love, rāgānugā-bhakti.
Gurudeva has given me Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, who grants us sambandha-jñāna, a proper understanding of our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. He has given me Mathurā-maṇḍala, which will always remind me of Rādhā and Govinda wherever I cast my glance. By his grace, Gurudeva has revealed the super-excellent position of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, the most cherished place of Rādhā and Govinda for Their divine pastimes, and the glories of Govardhana Hill.
Lastly, he has given me the hope that one day I may attain the service of Śrī Śrī Rādhikā and Mādhava. I have been given all these assurances by my Gurudeva, so I bow my head in full respect at his lotus feet.
Please, Guru Mahārāja, bless me with strong faith in your instructions
As Śrīla Prabhupāda states:
yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of the Vedic knowledge automatically revealed." (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
I have heard that this is the most important śloka in the Vedas—may this statement become true in my life.
Dear Guru Mahārāja, to please you is the ultimate goal of every disciple—not just by service, but by loving service—service of quality. Please bless me with the determination to spread the glories of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without duplicity in my heart.
I pray to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva and our paramparā to bless you with good health so that you may continue to fulfill the instructions of the previous ācāryas.
Your servant,
Ananta Gaurāṅga Dāsa