Hare Kṛṣṇa, Guru Mahārāja
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate jayapatākā svāmin iti nāmine
nama ācārya-pādāya nitāi-kṛpā-pradāyine
gaura-kathā-dhāma-dāya nagara-grāma-tāriṇe
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
All glories to Śrīla Guru Mahārāja.
Dear Guru Mahārāja, please accept my humble offering (a short poem):
Born in the West, he answered the call,
To serve Lord Kṛṣṇa, he gave his all.
From Prabhupāda, his journey embarked,
To spread the holy name to those in the dark.
In the land where modernization took flight,
Gordon John began his spiritual plight.
From the heart of the West, he sought the East,
To serve the Lord and never cease.
He travelled far, through sun and rain,
Sharing Mahāprabhu's message, through joy and pain.
Carried the order of his Guru Mahārāja with care—
A heart so pure, beyond compare.
He lived a life so pure and kind,
With humble means and a noble mind.
Simple living, his guiding way,
High thinking kept darkness at bay.
He wrote books, with the devotion he holds,
To share Kṛṣṇa’s teachings, pure as gold.
Temples and festivals, he helped to create,
Citing Kṛṣṇa’s mercy and hearts to celebrate.
Health and hardship he humbly bore,
Yet Kṛṣṇa’s name he always wore.
A voice of compassion, an unyielding blaze,
The path he forged, with empathy and grace.
Though his health brought trials and strife,
He stayed devoted all his life.
A guiding light, so strong and true,
The world is blessed because of you.
O Guru Mahārāja, your struggle inspires,
A life of service that never tires.
May your teachings forever shine—
A soul that’s truly one-of-a-kind, one-of-a-kind.
Your humble servant,
Gopāla