In celebration of Sri Vyasa Puja

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The Divine Appearance day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master
His Holiness Bir Krishna Das Goswami

October 22, 2007

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

I offer my respectful obeisances to my swan-like spiritual master, who is very dear to Srila Prabhupada because he is faithfully repeating his message with great purity and determination

His Divine Grace
ISKCON Founder Acarya
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

nama on visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

All Glories to Their Lordships

Sri Sri Radha Golokananda

Disciples of
His Divine Grace
Srila Prabhupada

Apurva prabhu
Sadhvi devi dasi
Saumyarupa devi dasi

Hare Krishna Bir Krsna Goswami,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On this auspicious day of your appearance I would like to honor and acknowledge you for your extra-ordinary unconditional devotional service to our spiritual master.

Over the years since I’ve had your association it is clear to me that you have really taken up the process Srila Prabhupada has given us with full enthusiasm. It is so rare to get the association of someone who is so dedicated to following Srila Prabhupadas instructions and is influencing so many others to take to the process of Krsna consciousness. And at the same time I can see how much fun you are having doing it. You are not only an ocean of mercy but also an ocean of fun, loving devotion to the community here. You make the process of Krsna consciousness seem so enlivening, which it is. It is such a treat to have you here at New Goloka sharing your realizations, your light hearted nature, your loving concern for each and every living entity that resides here, down to the insignificant dogs or ants that reside in New Goloka Dhama.

It is a very special opportunity that your disciples who live here have your presence here almost 6 months out of the year. I encourage all of them to take advantage while you are still with us. (Even though you mentioned to me you plan to stick around for 60 more years with your good health regimen) I sometimes think how awesome it would be if I had the similar opportunity of having Srila Prabhupadas association as much as your disciples have here, where you make yourself available and are so non-envious and unpretentious.

It is always such a pleasure and delight to have your company. As of recently I have had a major breakthrough in association with my more advanced Guru-god brothers and GBC that I can relate with them on a more personal way without being so self-conscious. For many years I was intimidated by other devotees of your status because I had a conversation going on in my head that I didn’t rate or make a difference (which I wasn’t conscious of). So I was very nervous and so called humble around great leaders. Now I can be fully self expressive I want to take this opportunity to apologize if I was overly expressed in certain areas and I want to thank you for being so tolerant, lighthearted, extremely uplifting in our friendship which I know will soar to higher levels as we partner in the preaching work that you have created such a solid foundation for here in N.C. I am extremely inspired by the plans for the new temple and by the possibility of establishing a Krsna conscious restaurant that will facilitate the millions of guests that will take darsana of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. Behind every great leader is the quality of being a “visionary” and you have so nicely exhibited this unique quality. You have always acknowledged me in my capacity as a devotee servant of prasada distribution even though these last few years I have not been quite so active. You certainly know where my heart is, so I welcome the opportunity to “step up to the plate” so to speak and create awesome, nutritious and delicious menus that will inspire people from all walks of life to become “prasadamitarians”.

Begging to remain your still humble but fully self-expressive servant and friend,
Apurva das

New Goloka, N.C. USA

My dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada who so
amazingly has found forgotten treasures like your good self in this world.

All year, morning and evening and sometimes during the day I listen and speak
to you in my mind and once in a while Krishna very kindly gives me some good
insights. But when it is time to write an offering I’m a bit afraid of being short of
expressing all that.

Today I was thinking of Haridas Thakur who was praised for his preaching and his behaving very nicely a devotee. It is not always found in all the devotees but I
certainly see it in you. Also sometimes one has a good heart but not such great
intelligence or learning. But in you all that is there. Your great compassion mixed
with the knowledge of the scriptures along with very astute strategies on how to
apply all this according to time and circumstances.

That makes your disciples and followers very fortunate but still, (I can see in my
own heart) the desire for thinking and behaving independently of your instructions shows its ugly head here and there. Then there is struggle in the disciple’s heart.

I have seen you in one of those incidents and even though you were not so
pleased you were so quick in removing your previous instruction just because
you were concerned about minimizing the reaction to the offense for your
protege. And that’s why Krishna and Srila Prabhupada have sent you to win our
hearts on Their behalf. It is successful and I hope and pray to keep trying to
assist you in your fully dedicated service to Srila Prabhupada until the end of this
life at least and maybe beyond because it might take a little longer for this slow
student to re-learn to love Krishna and enter His eternally blissful pastimes.

Your very grateful servant,
Sadhvi dasi
New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

namo om vishnu padaya krishna prestaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krishna dasa goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa-nikashaya prabhupada-priyaya te
su-dridha-shuddhi-nishthabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Dear Gurudeva, when I saw and heard your new lectures and seminars, I was
very much amazed. You are not a stereotype Guru, but you know so well,
how to attract everyone to Krishna consciousness in the most happy wonderful
way. When I hear and see your activities, always for the benefit of others, I
feel great happiness, joyfulness, jubilant and love in my heart.

Dear Gurudeva, I am very thankful to you, you are full with the good qualities of a real Vaisnava. You know everything. And you are full of Krishna Bhakti. Under your guidance the Krishna conscious movement is a place for everyone. By your mercy I can understand, what it means, that a Vaisnava is like a desire tree.

Dear Gurudeva, my prayers to you are, that I can help this wonderful mission
led by Srila Prabhupada and you. Please give me a little bit of your good qualities, love and compassion.
Please bless me in that way.

Your aspiring servant,
Saumyarupa dd

Sweden

 

Disciples and others

Abhay Caran
Acyuta
Adi lila
Ananda 
Ananda Svarup
Annapurna
Anuradha
Arcana
Aroti
Atmananda
Balarama Avadhuta
Bhanu and Swamini
Bhavatarini
Bilvamangala and Krisodari
Caitanya 
Mother Cintamani
Cintamani
Citra 
Daivi Sakti
Damodar Priya
Danakeli
Darryl
Dhanistha
Dhira
Dhirodatta
Dina Bandhu
Draupadi and Ramendra
Gandharvika
Gandharvika and Prananatha
Gauramani
Gaurangi
Gaurangi priya
Giridhari
Gokula Bandhu
Gokulananda
Gokulendra
Gopal
Gopi
Gopinatha 
Gourasundar
Govinda
Govinda Gopal
Guru Bhakti
Hladini
Iksvaku, Madhavi, Govardhan, Govinda
Jagadguru
Jagannatha
Jaggattarini dd, Krishnan
Jahnavi
Jnananivasa
Jayananda
Jayaradhe
Jayasri
Jishnu
Jivanatha
Kamala manjari
Kapila
Keshava
Kisori
Krishna 
Krishna Kumari
Krishna Priya
Mother Krishna Priya
Krishna Rati
Krishna Balarama and sudevi
Krishna Candra
Kundalata
Kurma
Lalita Gopinatha
Lila manjari
Lila suka
Madhava priya
Madhumangala and Lolaksih
Madhura Radhika
Mahamantra
Mandakini
Manjari Gopi
Manjulali
Markandeya Rsi
Matsya Avatara, Yamuna, Subhadra
Mayapurcandra and family
Mohini Radha
Mrtyu Mrtyu
Nandarani
Narayani
Narottama
Nila Madhava
Niraj
Nitai Karuna
Nitya Gehini
Paramesvari Radha
Parasurama
Pirjo
Polly
Prananatha
Prema Manjari 
Prithi
Prithu
Pundarika
Radha Madhava
Ramachandra
Ramanuja
Rangadevi
Rangini
Rasanatha
Rasikananda, Krisangi
Rari Manjari
Ratnalekha
Rukmini
Rupanuga
Sanatana
Sankirtana
Saranam
Satyavrat
Srivas Thakur
Sudama
Sundari and Syama Manjari
Syama sakhi
Trivikrama
Mother Tulasi
Tulasi
Tungavidya
Urmila
Uttara
Vaisnavi
Venu Gopal
Vipul
Visakha
Visala
Vraja Isvari
Vraja Sundari
Vrindavanesvari
Zlato 

Hare Krishna Gurudeva!

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance!

I would just like to thank you for making so many of us happy Gurudeva! Before you came along, I thought that Krishna consciousness was for other “more serious” devotees. I thought it was several lifetimes of really hard, difficult austerity. What was this ecstasy and bliss mentioned in the sastras? Was it something that you were rewarded with when you went back to Godhead?

However since you came along and rescued me, life just keeps getting better and better. You teach us that Krishna consciousness is a fun thing. You teach us to approach Krishna without feeling guilty, without being pressured, to do things because we want to. You teach us to laugh. You teach us to do things from the heart. You teach us to develop empathy and understanding for others. You teach us to use our own individual natures in Krishna ‘s service.

I remember you saying that Prabhupada had said that Krishna consciousness should be a celebration at every moment. You are teaching us to achieve just that.

The best part about it is that the enthusiasm and excitement you instill in us is infectious. Who could resist joining a movement where all the devotees are happy, caring and enthusiastic?! So many devotees and people not associating with the movement have often remarked about just how happy those of us are, who are fortunate enough to have your instruction. When engaging others in the way that you are teaching us, people always respond by becoming so enthused about their own spiritual life. It is clear to them that we have something that they want to have. That is all down to you Gurudeva.

Your aspiring servant,
Abhay Caran das

UK

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

Dearest Spiritual Father,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to you.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to ISKCON.

As we remember you on this glorious day of your Vyasa puja, our mind goes
back and reminds us of all the nectarian moments of association we had with
you. With your mercy we are helping Rupa Vilas at the center organizing
festivals and going out preaching in the villages.

As I write today, we have another program in one of the villages. With
your kind blessing, we have maintained our sadhana quite well. You are
always in our thoughts and everyday begins with your holy name.

Dear Gurudev, we pray for your excellent health and everlasting association
with us.

Please bless your fallen servant so that we are able to do some service at
your lotus feet and try to make the whole world Krsna Conscious.

Your Servant always,
Acyuta Das

Labasa, Fiji

 

My dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisance on this very special day. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to YOUR Divine Grace. All glories to Sri Radha Golokananda.

In a world of endless illusions I have no place to seek refuge save and except in the remembrance of YOUR instructions. If not for YOUR causeless mercy I would be a hopeless victim in the hands of maya. YOU are Krsna’s pure devotee, the most compassionate friend of all living beings and YOU will bring us to the Krsna’s lotus feet. YOU have many loyal and dedicated disciples, in comparison with whom I am very useless and insignificant.

It is explained in the sastra that by the mercy a GURU a lame man can cross mountains , a dumb man can speak eloquently and a blind man can see the stars
in the sky.

I pray that my only desire in life be that YOUR presence is ever manifested in my
heart and that I can remember YOUR divine instructions in all conditions.
In this way perhaps I can please YOU by always remaining

a servant of YOUR servant,
Adi Lila dd

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Relationships when held and cherished often deepen over time.

You are a guardian angel to so many, like Supersoul, with love as your fuel you connect so many people to the Supreme Lord. You are heartful and self reflective and I relish watching your teaching style grow from that of a strict, disciplined and considerate Vaisnava leader to now include also more visible depth and transparency as your teaching moves more and more into the rhelm of empowering and healing others from a place of obvious inner integrity.

I am grateful for your passion to share KC with others, in a way that is sensitive to the souls placement in those whom you work with. I am also grateful that you are able to see beyond the dogmas to the hearts of people of so many different walks of life to share with them Krishna bhakti. I pray that I (and my family) can continue to be of some assistance to you in this mission, in an ever unfolding and increasing and deepening way.

Your servant,
Ananda dd

New Orleans, La. USA

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

All Glories to Srila Gurudeva
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. This is such a nice day whereby we get the opportunity to glorify our Spiritual Master. Even if I put together millions of words I still would not be able to glorify you fully. You are so merciful Gurudeva for you have saved me from the dark well of material nature. All the wealth in the world cannot save one from going to hell but just a glance of your lotus feet can save one from the greatest danger. I am so fortunate to be your disciple. I will never be able to repay your debt but kindly bless me so that I can follow your instructions and remain under the cool shade of your lotus feet and never forget you.
Praying to be your faithful servant.

Your most unqualified and fallen servant,
Ananda Svarup Das

Suva, Fiji Islands

 

My dear spiritual master,

Please accept my humble obeisances and Vyasa-Puja offerings! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you for a chance to serve you at New Goloka. The month I spent there this summer was worth many lifetimes. I realized that the purpose of this life and all of my lives is to serve Krishna by serving you and his devotees. I’m very lucky because my multiple births finally made me take shelter at your lotus feet.

The knowledge you give is the only truth which can’t be taken away, destroyed, forgotten or erased because it goes directly to the soul. I know what kind of pain I cause when I don’t follow your instructions nicely. It’s not the disobedience itself what makes you sad, but the knowledge that disobedience will be the reason of my suffering. Please forgive me for that.

Your kindness, your compassion to all fallen conditioned souls is so inspiring.
It encourages me to be a better disciple and continue to serve you in any circumstances I’ll be put in. The way you live giving all to Krishna is the best role-model, the proof this is possible. You have a power to attract people from outside to Krishna consciousness with the light you have, your kindness and mercy, the purity of your heart which helps them to develop good qualities.

I pray to Krishna to give me strength to be a good disciple, to pass all the tests successfully and to glorify your name again and again.

Bir Krishna das Goswami Maharaj ki-jay! Thank you, Krishna, for giving me such a wonderful spiritual master!

I’m very, very happy. Thank you, Gurudeva, for accepting me as your disciple. Thank you for appearing in this world again to give your disciples a chance to serve you and bring us back to Godhead!

Your humble servant,
Annapurna dd

Tallinn, Estonia.

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories unto you.

I feel very fortunate to be your disciple and to be able to write an offering to you. Thank you so much for accepting me as one of your many servants.

Gurudeva, you are a perfect role model for us youth in Krishna consciousness. Your mood is always joyous. You are always laughing and we all love your laugh. You enjoy picking on your disciples, that’s your way of showing that you care. You act more like a friend to us than a teacher.

You are an acarya and just by your actions we develop faith and forget why we ever hesitated to surrender. You go through so much trouble; listening to our complaints, tolerating politics, long hours of flight, just so that we can have your divine association and become energized in Krishna consciousness. No one is ever so patient. You have so many wonderful qualities like your beloved Hanuman ji. Gurudeva, you really are a solider for Srila Prabhupada.

I am so low, I cannot control my senses, yet you spotted me among the crowd and accepted me at your lotus feet. It will always be the happiest moment of my life.

I pray to Lord Krishna to always protect you and give you good health so that we may have your association until you are 118 years and more!!!

Happy Vyasa Puja Gurudeva

Begging to remain your servant,
Anuradha devi dasi

Auckland, New Zealand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

I offer my most humble obeisances unto you. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

My dearest Spiritual Father,

On this most auspicious day of your appearance I would like to attempt to tell you how much you mean to me and to present you with a lovely offering. I wanted to write you a wonderful poem to express my gratitude, a poem praising all of your qualities, but I however, am not a poet. And thus, my attempt at a beautiful poem was a failure. So, I will just try to write you a nice letter. All I can say is that you are the reason that I am here. You are the reason that I am alive today. You are the reason for everything I do. Well, all of the good stuff anyhow. And anytime I do something I know I should not do, I see your frowning face in my mind and I have to think twice about the action. I do not get up in the morning and go to work for myself, I do not do it even for Ramesha prabhu. I do not go to school at night and spend my weekends doing homework for myself. I do my rounds only because I know you want me to. I listen to lectures, read and go to the temple, only because I know it makes you happy. I do any of the service that I do in the temple for you.

Even my husband cannot convince me to do these things. He tries his best to inspire me to do service. His favorite and best tactic is to say that it will make you happy if I do something. I do not want to do these things. I do not even want to be a devotee. Ramesha prabhu cries when I tell him I want to leave and prays that something changes my mind. The thing that changes my mind is not my husband, not my friends, not Sri Krsna and Sri Radha, but it is you my dear Ssrila Gurudeva. I cannot bear the thought of leaving you, of disappointing you. So, I am here doing these things for you. I have no love for Sri Krsna, and I do not have any service to be attached to, you are the only reason I am here. I do not say this to point out all that I do because I know that whatever I do is so small and insignificant. I do not have any particular service. I say this to show you what my offering to you really is, on this auspicious day of your appearance. My offering is truly my life.

My dear Srila Gurudeva, you are all I have. You are what keeps me going in Krsna consciousness. I would have given up already if it were not for my attachment to you. My life would have ended if it were not for your merciful glance towards me. I owe everything to you. For this I can never pay you back. I have nothing to give you but my love and my life. You are my savoir. I have heard before that in some cultures, when one person saves someone’s life, the one saved has to then become the rescuer’s servant/slave, doing anything that the rescuer desires. That is the position I am in, the rescued and you are my rescuer. Therefore, for the rest of my life, actually all of eternity, I am your servant/slave.

The last thing I want to say to you is thank you. Thank you for being so kind and merciful to me. I actually realized how much you care for your disciples the last time I came to New Goloka. I have thought about this point before. Recently you have spent much time talking to devotees about how to communicate and how to become emotionally/mentally stronger. You have focused a lot on what I call self help. This has shown me how caring you are about the devotees. You want them to be strong in every way so that they can better serve Sri Krsna. You are also rather concerned with the devotee’s health. I had a deeper realization of this when I came to see you last. I have been in a fragile state as of late and I came to talk with you and to ask advice. The first thing you said to me was to be more positive and change my outlook. You referred me to you recent lectures. You told me to watch a DVD and to start using what it taught me in my life. The other thing you asked me to do was to start doing the mental bank. You were very concerned with my well-being and mental/emotional state. This touched me deeply. I cried the whole time I watched the DVD. I was thinking how much you must care for me to ask me to do these things. No one has ever cared about me so much as you do.

The weekend after we came back, my husband and I started doing the mental bank. I actually did not want to do it. But I did it because you asked me to. And it has really helped. I can see that you were right in your advice. I remain deeply touched by your concern and love.

My dear spiritual father, I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits and health.

Your eternal servant,
Arcana dd

Atlanta, Ga. USA

 

All glories to Gurudeva for being my Guru for without him I would not be here where I am on this day of his Vyasa Puja and hope of many more. And all glories to Srila Prabhupada for bringing the movement to the west for all to know and hear about Krishna.

I want to say that Gurudeva , without his mercy I would not become a devotee of Krishna at all. For Gurudeva who forever works tirelessly to get the message of Krishna to the people around the world and great inspiration to the devotees. Each day I am thankful that he is there for me as well for others to become better devotees of the Lord. I just wish that more people would know him and become devotees of the Lord. I will always be a devotee of Krishna until the day I die . I have been a devotee for 28 years. I will always be thankful for Gurudeva and may
Krishna will bless him forever and ever.

Your Servant Of Krishna From Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Aroti Devi Das

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisance. All glories to you and all glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I am really happy to be here, to get to celebrate your appearance day together with so many of my god-brothers and sisters. It’s a blessing to be able to stay here, to enjoy living in a holy place.

“My Lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage.”

It always feels at home when you are with us. I cherish the days when I first came and got much of your association. I always got lots of “patting on the head” from you and that kept me going, even when my faith wasn’t really strong.

We see how you care for New Goloka and its devotees. It’s a struggle to maintain everything nicely, to raise enough funds and keep the high class Deity worship.

We see you accepting more disciples, giving guidance and nourishment to whomever takes shelter in you.

You inspire and encourage and always find new ways to share Krishna consciousness. We are also amazed to see the photos and hear about your wonderful project in Fiji, a nice temple for Sri Sri Radha-Golokabihari.

Now, when you are planning another South Indian tour, we can’t wait to hear more stories from the pilgrimage and hopefully we’ll be able to join you sometime in the future.

We feel so fortunate to have you and wish to spend many years hearing and learning from you.
Wish you all the best and happy appearance day!

Your servants,
Atmananda and Rasasundari dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

Dear Gurudeva,

Once again we celebrate the aging of the body – a rather pitiful occurrence of the material necessity for which we’ve turned to the spiritual realm for happiness to exchange the depressing reality to joyous realization, and you, Gurudeva, now again descend from the platform of the most happy couple to bring us and to me the example of ever increasing happiness in Krishna consciousness.

I can’t give you much but what I’ve got, and I know this self-of-mine is lesser in value and strength than that little spider helping to build the bridge to Lanka. All I can do is bring a small pebble year after year and write on it “Thanks”. Of words I’ve run out, although there is no end of words and people, and although I write long descriptions depicting the life and mind of the New Talavana residents, I think twice and a hundreds times to send it to you or not, because you know the situation and the people creating it, and I need not say, that people never change but live with the mind and nature that describes them individually. I would change myself if I could to shape things on your image of perfection, but that wouldn’t be me and contradictions don’t stand for long. Those who repress their individual tendencies and go in some popular demand achieve some heights for time-being but will not be able to maintain it after all. And for this reason I am most thankful to you as my powerful protector from those whom would change me not to their image but to the image they think they should be. It takes the purity of a saint like you to be causelessly merciful, caring and so deep with realizations, the rest are just the rough bigotry of the miserable mind.

Thus I go along with what I have hoping that some day it will be enough.
Your worthless disciple wishes you again a happy appearance.

Dasanudasa,
Balarama Avadhuta

New Talavana, MS USA

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you so much for everything that you have done for us. You continually inspire us.

We are very lucky that you have the strength to encourage us, although we sometimes don’t have the strength to endeavor the best on the spiritual path. We have met with many unexpected things in our lives. We know that we should first think of our spiritual well-being and duties and then of others. We have faith and trust in you and Krishna by your mercy.

We want to thank you for not forgetting us and we want to wish you a very happy birthday and many good years with us.

With words we can’t properly express what we feel towards you. You always know what we need. You give time and attention to everybody. You taught us how we can trust and believe in Krsna.

We can try to find a person like you but such a person is very rare and we thank Krishna for giving us a father like you. You once said that we are all your family and that was the most beautiful sentence we ever heard.

We often discuss when we will be able to serve you properly. If we have some good qualities it is only because of your mercy. Thank you that you always listen and help us. Thank you for everything Srila Gurudeva.

We are trying to be your servants,
Bhanu das and Swamini d.d & Lalita d.d& Devi d.d.

Slovenia

 

 

My dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glory to you and Srila Prabhupada!

For the divine day of your Vyasa Puja, I would like to say something original, but it is not easy because everybody said everything a long time ago.
In my mind I sent you a lot of white and blue fragrant lotuses as a birthday present and wish you a pleasant time with your disciples who are so happy to be in your association on that divine day.

I had a wonderful realization on the day of Radhastami. In Zagreb temple during the darshan with the Deities Radha-Krishna in one moment I remembered you. Then I visualized your shiny figure so clearly like you were in front of me. I saw your smiling face and the eyes with eye-glasses. You looked at me with careness and joy. I realized that you are always with me and through your association Krishna is always with me. Everything is in heart and only our mind is the cheater.

I just want to send you the biggest thank you for leadership and for your patience with me and I promise to follow your lotus feet.

With love your servant,
Bhavatarini devi dasi

 

 

nama om vishnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate tamala krisna gosvamni iti namine

nama om vishnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das gosvamin iti namine

nama om vishnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta savmin iti namine

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaj,

Please accept our most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Gurudeva! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Our very sincere thanks to you for giving us your divine association at least twice every year. We always look froward to your visit to NZ, for it energises us spiritually and gives us strength and enthusiasm to maintain and advance in devotional life.

Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to serve you and other devotees on your tour to NZ. You have been so merciful that you overlooked our discrepancies while serving you here in NZ. Especially, during home visits, sometimes we were caught up in traffic for long hours due to poor planning but you kindly forgave us by saying it was all right.

On this glorious day, your endeavours to serve HDG Srila Prabhupada resound from different parts of the world. Your sincere devotion and loyalty to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON are your effulgent ornaments. Your sweetness and your mercy are your identity. Your renunciation attracts living entities to ISKCON. Your strong faith, determination and intelligence are strong pillars holding ISKCON upright and unified with the help of your God-brothers and God-sisters.

Indeed on this very auspicious day, who can be more fortunate than us, your disciples to have such a loving caring father who is our ever well wisher. We feel so fortunate to have taken shelter of your lotus feet. Dear Maharaj, we are eternally indebted to you for the benediction you have given to our two daughters and us. Kindly bless us so that we learn to serve you better in your service to Srila Prabhupada.

On this very auspicious day of your glorious appearance, we bow again and again to the holy dust of your lotus feet.

We beg to eternally remain your humble servant,
Bilvamangal das and Krsodari devi dasi

New Zealand

 

To my dearest Spiritual Master and Father,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Gurudeva, I am very sorry that I could not be at your Vyasa Puja in New Goloka due to having to help my brother on his last days on this planet.

Whatever thoughts and feelings I could express would never be enough to show my appreciation for all your kindness and mercy. You allow your disciples to fully relish your association. I pray to one day be able to fully appreciate the causeless mercy you have bestowed upon me by engaging me in the loving service of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda and also to have been given the opportunity to serve you personally.

With the appearance of the spiritual master comes the opportunity for the living entities to receive initiation into spiritual life. By humbly rendering some service unto the spiritual master, the seed of loving devotion for Krsna is gradually developed.

I thank you and pray that you keep immersing my body, my mind and heart in your sublime service, eternally.

Your insignificant servant,
Caitanya dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

So here is another Vyasa-puja day to tell you how much you mean to me. You are everything and I desire that your pleasure is my only goal. Maya is very powerful and wants to test me to see how much I am determined to be your disciple. It is especially hard when one has a mental illness that sometimes fixates on undesirable thoughts. Sometimes reason is not enough.
Whenever I see you, the sun of your presence dissipates all undesirable ideas, but they come back after some time. All religious groups have their problems, but only Krsna-consciousness has all the answers plus logic. When I watch the Srila Prabhupada DVDs I realize how you are following in his footsteps and appreciate you even more. Please keep this fallen fool under the shelter of your lotus feet and take me home back to Godhead as His Divine Grace wanted. I want to be welcomed into the spiritual world by Sri Krsna as Gopa Kumar was in whatever form I may have. Only by your mercy will that glorious event take place! Hare Krishna!

Your aspiring servant,
Mother Cintamani dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

Dear Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I first came to North Carolina when I was 7 years old, and since that time you have been a great source of inspiration to me. It recently occurred to me that the majority of Srimad Bhagavatam lectures that I have listened to in this life were spoken by you. In essence you are my instructing spiritual master, my siksa guru.

Unfortunately, as a young child growing up in New Goloka, I was not able to fully appreciate your constant association. At that time, you hardly ever left North Carolina.
But now, as I look back on those days, I realize how fortunate we were to have your steady presence at the morning programs. It left a deep impression on me, one which I carry till this day. You made Krsna consciousness a fun and easy process for us. I remember how you gave sweets to the children for chanting nice japa, and how you visited our gurukula and enthused us with your bhajans.

Now I appreciate your association more than ever. I want to especially thank you for engaging me in the service of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. Please bless me that I can follow in your footsteps and become a dedicated servant of their Lordships.

Your eternal servant,
Cintamani dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

My Dearest Gurudeva,
Please accept my obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Today is a special day. As my guru, my life would not be complete. By you giving me your mercy through initiation as one of your disciples I find peace. You know more than anyone what your disciples need. No doubt I need you as my spiritual master.
Please allow me to be of service to you as long as I am able. Although my time is so limited right now because of life demands, I try to stay focus on your teachings. When leaving for work or school and could not be around for your morning lectures, I play one of your devotional songs (in the car) in the morning just to hear your voice. And during the day, when time allows during down time at work or down time from school work, I would log on to your website to listen to your countless lectures from all over the world. This way I know that you are present in my heart and mind. Knowing this satisfies me.
Please don’t grow tired of me as your disciple. I know I have a lot imperfections but through your divine instructions and mercy ‘just’ maybe I can go back home back to Godhead.
Hare Krishna.
Your forever servant,
Citra devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

Dear Gurudev, Hare Krishna!

Please accept my most humble obeisances into the dust of your lotus feet! All glories to you and to Srila Prabhupada!

On this very auspicious day of your appearance, I would like to say a few words about your glorious personality. I remember you once saying that while reading the Vyasa puja offerings of your disciples you would like to hear what you had done for us, instead of praising you and talking about how great you are.
I believe that this is the same, in the sense that the real glory of the spiritual master is that he accepted the greatest task to help his disciples to go back home back to Godhead.

I can tell you my own story from which one can see what you have done for me and how you helped and are still helping me in this for the conditional soul difficult path in going back home back to Godhead!

When my previous guru had left, I didn’t aspire for any other guru in particular, even though I wanted to continue my spiritual life of course. I was a little bit worried what to do, was it possible to go on with spiritual life and still not be reinitiated.

Then it happened that you came to Serbia. I hadn’t known you up to that time, and I didn’t have any plan to even have a darshan with you at that time, since I didn’t know what to ask you or what to talk to you about.

Then one wise mataji had reminded me that the great souls were here to help us, that they were coming because of us and that we should use this rare opportunity to see them and receive their mercy. I agreed with her at once, since I could understand how her words were deeply true, but still I didn’t know what to talk to you about, even if I became so lucky to get the darshan of yours. That is our fallen condition!

Then I got the idea! Of course, I should ask you about whether it is important to be reinitiated if one wants to continue his spiritual life or we could go on without being initiated again. I admit that I wanted to hear that we could go on like before, since I didn’t aspire for any other gurus, although I like them all.
And that was what exactly happpened! You said it s OK to continue like before. You asked me if I was still chanting my sixteen rounds and when I said yes, you appeared a little surprised and said that was very good! You told me I could write to you at any time. I was happy after the darshan! I got what I wanted! I didn’t have to break my head about having or not having guru, and that was said by one of the authorities!

The time was passing, and I didn’t think about that any more. Then, a few months after our talk, I had a dream. In that dream you appeared and said that you were my guru! Very simple, and yet very amazing! Still, in my very fallen condition, I didn’t know what to make of it. I didn’t take it very seriously.
I just mentioned, by the way, to that wise mataji who had told me about the importance of having the darshan with you, what I had dreamt. She urged me to write to you immediately. No, I said, that’s just the mind! And so passed three or more weeks, without me writing anything to you. Then this same mataji asked me if I had written to you, and when she heard the answer NO, she had chastised me very much! She said that one disciple of yours is going to America and they would meet at the airport the very next day and I had to write the letter and she would give it to her to bring it to you.

So I had to write the letter that very day, and since I didn’t have time I wrote it while riding on the bus, brought it to this mataji and soon the letter was in your hands.
A few days later, I was called by one devotee on my mobile and she said I was accepted by you as your disciple! What a surprise! So quickly!

So, now I can only say that Guru and Krishna always have some transcendental arrangement how to bring the fallen souls back to His lotus feet, and if we are lucky, we should try to learn how to accept this causeless mercy! I am sure that you are firmly decided that anyone who is your disciple or who comes in touch with you should go back home back to Godhead as soon as possible!

So that what you are doing for me and all of us is very difficult to understand or say with our limited intelligence or words, but the story about how you have become my guru and what you have been doing for me since that time, which is another story for itself, shows how great love and compassion you have for all of us, conditioned souls! There is no way of repaying the debt I have to you, and the only thing me and all of us could do to express our gratitude is to try to become pure devotees and go back to Krishna as soon as possible!

Thank you very much for everything and please forgive me all my mistakes and offences I am making due to my fallen nature!

Your servant,
Daivi Sakti dd

Serbia

 

Dear Gurudeva:

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Once again I have the opportunity and honor of saying a few words for your Vyasa Puja, and not only that, I have the opportunity to be here in Fiji with you on this most special day. If someone had told me five years ago I would be living in a temple doing service, I would have told them they were totally insane, but by Krishna’s arrangement and your mercy, I am here. Words cannot describe the happiness it brings me. Don’t get me wrong, I do have my ups and downs, but I am not complaining one bit. It is only by Krishna’s mercy that He bought me such a warm, loving, caring spiritual father. Like with any good father, the parent tries to gently guide the child in the right direction, taking care not to smother them so much, that they are given a sense of independence, yet the child feels the security and knows the parent is there if needed. With you, I know your guidance is always there, but you also encourage us to think for ourselves, too. Through you, I feel I am better able to cope with the various situations that have come up in my life, therefore making them a positive thing instead of a negative one. You know what these are, without me telling you, so I won’t go into detail. We all have to learn that Krishna is the controller. If something bad happens in our life, we can choose to say, ” Why me?” or we can just accept it as Krishna’s arrangement and look on the positive side. And we shouldn’t try blaming everyone for what happens to us. We have to take responsibility for our own actions, too.

As always you are a great inspiration to me, and your dedication to serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission, which you have made your very life, heart, and soul is amazing. I pray that in some way I can help you in that mission. I know your position as a spiritual master is not an easy one, but I know you will continue until your last breath. I thank Krishna for bring you to us, and thank you for accepting me, such a fallen soul. And thank you for my spiritual family, both my godbrothers and sisters, and also the rest of my spiritual family, too, that have to put up with me. 🙂 My prayers to Krishna is that you will continue to allow me to serve you always birth after birth, no matter how many births it might take. It will be wonderful if all of us can go back to Godhead together. With that being said, speaking from my heart and I am sure from others too, remember we love you, and HAPPY VYASA PUJA!!!

Love,
your eternal daughter and servant,
Damodara Priya dd

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

Hare Krishna Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your divine lotus feet. All glories to you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

You are most merciful, having come to rescue the fallen; having dedicated your very existence to the loving service and ultimately, the satisfaction, of your beloved spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. I am praying that I will become such a selfless servant to you with the utmost faith in your instructions and complete attachment to your divine lotus feet. Though to only pray for these things is not enough because one must be prepared to do whatever is necessary to achieve the end result, and for this, intelligence is required. Srila Gurudeva, I have only the minimum of intelligence and a very poor memory, so I must beg of you, please very kindly give me your blessings to succeed, in spite of a definite lack of resources.

One designated as a servant should act only for the pleasure of the master. And it is by your kindness alone that you permit me to remain at your lotus feet with mind continuously wandering from one material object to another in contemplation of enjoyment.

I am not worthy of that which you are giving. But still I must boldly beg of you, please never kick me away. You are my life and I cannot imagine being bereft of your association. It would be as one trying to go on living without breathing.
Household life is tricky at best, and at times, I fear I shall never come out the other side. But this is my goal; and to somehow or other become qualified in the process.

Thank you, my dear father, for everything, and most of all, for your level of tolerance and determination in dealing with so many “interesting challenges.” I am unable to accurately estimate what you have actually done, but I can say, without a doubt, that you have saved me.

Aspiring for your eternal service,
Danakeli dasi

Georgia, USA

 

To His Holiness Bir Krishna:

You may remember me from Jazz Fest at New Orleans this past year; I looked forward to meeting you for months and finally got to have Darshan with you and listen to your very practical teachings.

You made meeting you so easy; you seemed to bear my obeisances and prostrations with the attitude of a humble clerk forced to play the role of president. You were no-nonsense and down-to-earth. Even when telling me I had made some mistake or that I didn’t have something quite right, there was no sting in the correction.

“Eight rounds is a good start,” you said. “Get up to sixteen when you can.”

And that was it. I somehow expected a lecture on being more devoted or less lazy, but you just said, “Get there at your own pace.”

Your presence is calming, and your stern talk on diet has stayed with me ever since. I watched you put in your earplugs when you were chanting Japa, and saw the fierce way you pronounced the Mahamantra, and the giggling joy it seemed to bring you. I saw that you were truly the Guru I was meant to have, a gift from Krishna… Your instruction and encouragement has made starting a Kirtan circle in my town so much easier–I feel like I have the hand of God at my back.

You made Jazz Fest much more fun and I promise next year to get a hold of that bass guitar so that we might try to make chanting HARE KRISHNA as beautiful as we can.

Your Pathetically Fallen Disciple,
Bhakta Darryl Eschete

Houma, Louisiana

 

 

Dearest Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to this auspicious day.

This time every year we sit down to try and somehow put to words what you mean to us, what having your mercy in our lives has done for us and how we wish and pray that we will be able to serve you pleasingly. And this time every year my emotions cloud my mind and I lose the ability to articulate what it is I want and need to say to you.

I was first introduced to you about ten years ago and since then you have not stopped amazing me with your sincere desire to help others and your ability to understand what each person you encounter needs. You give us practical instructions that we can follow, which encourages us in our spiritual lives.

At the end of the day, after putting Srivas to bed, it’s knowing that your appreciation and the awe you have for the little service we mothers perform, that makes me feel like I’m connected to my spiritual life. It’s your reminder that it’s not a little service but an extremely important one that reconfirms that you truly are a spiritual leader and how fortunate I am that you have accepted me as your fallen servant.

I love you and am so honored to be your daughter.

Praying to be your eternal servant,
Dhanistha devi dasi

Marysville, WA USA

 

 

My dear, beloved Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to our great benefactor and father, Srila Prabhupada and you.

I thank, in front of my modest altar, to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dear Krishna, for making me fortunate to meet the most wonderful of His servants, now my merciful Gurudeva!

My dear Gurudeva, I wish you, on the occasion of your Vyasa Puja, a long and healthy life and express my immeasurable gratitude for your paternal, causeless mercy and love for your devotees. I feel protected in this dark, sorrowful material world. I live in hope and try to get out of the darkness and nescience knowing that you keep vigil over me.

From the day I met you, I understood how I was stuck in the ocean of the material existence, how I lived in the darkness and nescience.
My Savior, dear Gurudeva, you accepted me mercifully for your disciple and when you started to guide me, showering me with your gentleness and benevolence, I felt a great change in my heart and mind. What is most important for me, thanks to your blessings I understood that I spent my whole life uselessly. I beg you again therefore to accept my deep gratitude for helping me to come out of the material ocean,
aspiring for real happiness, to go back home back to Godhead. Only you, my greatest friend and benefactor, can help me by your mercy and blessings.

I pray for your blessings, mercy and forgiveness of my sins.
All glories to you! Have a long, long life!
I know that you are happy because you are very dear to our Supreme Lord Krishna, whom you can mercifully serve with devotion.
I offer my obeisances to your lotus feet and please accept the expression of my best wishes on the day of your appearance.

Your eternal, eternal servant,
Dhira D.D.

Serbia

 

Dear Gurudev,

Accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

On this auspicious day I would like to thank you for accepting me as a disciple although I am an insignificant person and of little worth. Although I make endeavors in spiritual life, it is similar to the endeavor of that little bird that tried to dry up the ocean. If you take up the role of Garuda, then there is some hope for me, otherwise there is no hope.

My determination is small, my ability is even smaller and only because of
your mercy toward me I feel good, otherwise I would not. I believe that
you are the most merciful guru in ISKCON and I do not say that out of
sentiment, but on the basis of so many examples. Although this does not mean anything to you, I wish that you celebrate many more Vyasa Puja festivals on this planet, that you have good health and that you travel and preach without any obstacles and fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s mission. I will try to help you to the best of my ability.

Your servant,
Dhirodatta das

Serbia

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. All glories to your lotus feet.

Dear Maharaja,
Your lectures are as rich and colourful like the autumn
Your bhajans are as refreshing as the first soft snow of winter
Your mercy is like springtime, giving new life
Your Krishna-prema is warming, like summer’s day

Your faith is like a rock, steady and trustful
Your enthusiasm for the Holy Name is like a fire, which easily and quickly spreads
Your Krishna-katha is like the water, softly and gently waving
You are like air, necessary for the devotees to survive in this material world in separation of Sri Krishna.

Only your mercy and the shade of your lotus feet can protect me in this material world.

Haribol, Your eternal servant,
Dina Bandhu Dasa

Beligium

 

 

Dear Father,

Please accept my obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you dear father. All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

Thank you for your merciful presence in my home every time you visit Auckland. Preparing for your visit and being busily engaged in your service is very purifying for myself and my whole family.

Please bless us all and myself especially that we don’t get proud that you choose to stay at our home. I know it’s because of the convenience of having the airport close by rather than anything else.

Have a happy Vyasa puja and please bless myself and my family that we may continue to serve you and that we may progress in bhakti.

Your servants,
Draupadi dd and Ramendra

 

 

My dear Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet on this most special day of your appearance. All glories to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you – Srila Prabhupada’s ideal disciple!

I am attempting to write an appropriate praise of your wonderful personality, but due to my crippled state of being I can never reach a satisfying level.

If one really loves another person, then he is able to do everything that the loved one desires. Your love for your eternal spiritual master is like that. There is no compromise, only fulfilment of Srila Prabhupada’s empowered instructions. When I think of how much love I have for Srila Prabhupada I feel discouraged, because there are so many obstacles that are keeping me away from being an exemplary servant. I have no other way but to sincerely strive for the association of advanced devotees like yourself. The opportunity to have your causeless association and guidance deeply enlivens and fulfils me. When I think of your numerous and never ending loving encouragements, I feel blessed and peaceful, because I have the need to be an instrument in the service of Krishna and His devotees.

With my frog-like perspective I have no chance to acknowledge properly your intellectual or spiritual capacity. On the other hand you posses so many attractive qualities that are hard to hide. In our devotional life we must be serious but I always have such a good time when I am able to attend your lectures or seminars. You are an expert in training our intelligence and by doing that there is also entertainment involved. I like your humour very much.

I am truly thankful for your causeless mercy and pray for your blessings to never stop raining on my seed of devotional creeper.

An insignificant servant of your servants,
Gandharvika dasi

Slovenia

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our obeisances on this most auspicious day of your appearance.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

As we sat here talking about our Vyasa puja offerings for this year, we started by writing down in point form all the things we appreciated that you have been doing. We came up with quite a list and going over it, we realized just how much you’re doing to help the devotees in their individual quests to maintain and increase their Krishna Consciousness.

You’ve given us the Holy Names and we hear your classes on the Srimad Bhagavatam, but still you realize we need more, and out of your causeless mercy, you go out of your way to learn more and more ways to help the devotees in their lives.

We started by talking about the blog. What an incredible insight into the mind of a pure devotee! Every new entry was like walking into the most compassionate atmosphere imaginable. We looked forward to reading the blog every day, and would be on the phone to each other as soon as we found a new entry posted. We had some amazing realizations from reading the blog, but the most outstanding realization was that we have such a long way to go before we can even consider ourselves aspiring devotees.

We marveled at the communication seminars you posted on your website, helping us to communicate with each other and other devotees more effectively. We were enthralled at hearing about how you are using laugh yoga sessions, anger management classes and regression to bring conditioned souls like us closer to Krishna.

And just so that you will be there for us for many years into the future, you change to an even more austere diet. You praise whatever good qualities we possess to encourage us and gently point out our faults. You constantly teach us how to become better people and devotees. You teach us about the importance of goals and provide us with guidance on how to raise our children. And you do all of this in a humorous way. We forever seek your company and may you guide us for many years to come.

We’ve been through a huge paradigm shift over the last year, starting a family and trying to raise our little boy nicely while trying to progress in Krishna Consciousness. You have been there every step of the way, from the safe delivery ceremony (was there a component of easy delivery in there too?) to naming him, the first grains ceremony, and more recently, his first taste of mango. Thank you for supporting us as parents and for being there to guide us.

Thank you for accepting us despite all our faults and for everything you do to help us in our Krishna Consciousness.

Your aspiring servants,
Prananatha das, Gandharvika devi dasi and Little Gokul

Australia

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to your divine grace.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! On this most auspicious day of your appearance I pray to receive your mercy. I am so thankful to Lord Krsna for sending me the most fun, caring, loving, super intelligent and best sense of humor spiritual master.

You are indeed the one to open my eyes of ignorance with a torch light of knowledge when I was in the delicate age of adolescence. You awakened my desire and ignited the spark of devotion in the most wonderful way, by teaching us that spiritual life is the most enjoyable and scientific process. You taught us how to chant the pure holy name by your direct example and shared with us what was most dear to you, complete dedication to Srila Prabhupada.

Day by day, I am guided by you through your lectures and by reading your blogs which give me a clear perception of how easy and uncomplicated spiritual life is. Thank you so much, Srila Gurudeva for being just yourself, so magnanimous, so super funny, so intellectual, and so merciful.

I hope and pray that I may be qualified to serve you.

Your servant,
Gauramani devi dasi

 

Feliz Vyasapuja
Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada. Todas las glorias a Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. Todas las glorias a su divina aparicion.

Querido Srila Gurudeva,

Hoy en su auspiciosa aparision, agradezco a Krishna por darme la oportunidad de tener un maestro spiritual, lleno de inumerables cualidades.

Srila Gurudeva, permitame agradecerle infinitamente por mantenerme bajo el refujio de sus pies de loto, su maravilloso ejemplo de devocion por Srila Prabhupada, nos inspira a querer seguir sus pasos y tener esa devocion hacia usted. Cada ano esta lleno de sorpresas y oportunidades tanto material como spiritual, para mi fue un ano mas, para asistirlo en su servicio a Guru y Krishna.

Gurudeva, el haverme invitado a Nueva Goloka fue el major de los regalos que yo haya podido merecer, el permitirme formar parte de su hogar y su familia, me llena de felicidad. Espero que haya tenido un bonito Viasapuja en Fiji, y que su misericordia sin causa, siga disponible para personas que quieran tomar nectar.

Su aparicion, es una muestra de el gran amor que Krishna tiene por nosotros, que aun que tengamos muchos deseos materials, atravez de servirle a usted, el nos dara una oportunidas de regresar a El. Horo a Radha Golokananda que lo proteja siempre a donde quiera que valla. Y que siempre nos permita de disfrutar de su extatica asociacion.

Este dia tan especial de su Vyasapuja, todos nos reunimos a glorificar a uno de los hijos mas queridos de Krishna.

Todas las glorias al mejor de los padres.

Su eterna sirvienta,
Gaurangi Devi Dasi

 

 

Dear Bir Krsna Goswami,

Please accept my respects. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Jai Guru and Gauranga!

On this auspicious day of your Vyasa-puja, I would like to thank you for
the kindness you have shown me throughout the many years I have been in
your association. You have been very supportive of my well-being and my spiritual health. Thank you for being dynamic in your approach to Krsna consciousness, and for being open-minded and generous in your vision.

Thank you for allowing me and my family a small place here at New Goloka and encouraging our contribution of service. When we have devotional service, Krsna consciousness becomes alive to us. After I received initiation from my Gurudeva, he instructed me to perform service at New Goloka as much as I can. Thank you for that opportunity of service. The character of a teacher is reflected through his or her students, and you have so many wonderful disciples in this community
who have become cherished friends. I thank you for them as well.

The only way to please Sri Krsna and gain His attention is by pleasing His devotees. To please the devotees is my only hope.

With respect,
Gaurangi-priya dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

Dear Gurudeva!

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you.

My dear spiritual master, on this day of your appearance I thank you with all my heart for everything that you have done for me. I am trying to find the right words to describe the glories of you, my spiritual master. But no matter how I try, it is not enough: on one hand, I lack the ability to express myself, and on the other your activities and qualities are unlimited and wonderful.

Srila Gurudeva, you have appeared in this world to give us a chance to go back home, back to Godhead. You took a body, which is full of distress, in order to save us. How can we pay you back for all that you did and are still doing for us?
You care so much about us; you help and encourage us, just like a good father who is trying to properly raise and educate his children.

Srila Gurudeva, please mercifully accept my humble offering: this is all I can give you today.

Your insignificant servant,
Giridhari das

Slovenia

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

nama on visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

Dearest Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearence.

Gurudeva, I am really fortunate to be accepted as a disciple of yours. Your kindness towards me is unlimited and my words are limited to glorify you on this auspicious day of your appearance.

Gurudeva, every time I went to meet you, you have asked about my plans. Gurudeva, you are concerned about all of us and you are always there to guide us in both our spiritual and material life. By your mercy and blessing, I am also able to serve your God-brothers who always come to guide us in our spiritual life and give us their association. We learn a lot from them.

The spiritual master is one who solves all confusion.
Srila Prabhupada said that in a confused state of life, one should approach another, one who is full of knowledge of matter…..Everyone is confused in this material world about spiritual identity. It is therefore our duty to approach a bona-fide spiritual master who can give us real knowledge.

It is described in the scriptures that the spiritual master is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he is the most confidential servant of the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master present is the form of the Supreme Lord present and consulting the spiritual master means consulting the Supreme Lord. Therefore one should take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master.

Gurudeva, thank you for your advice and mercy towards me. You have answered all my question and cleared my doubt. I always felt your presence guiding me to progress in my spiritual life. Your advise comes everyday as your Thought of the Day. Everyone is relishing this to make progress. Thank you for the seminars you have conducted for the devotees here.

On this auspicious day of your appearance, I pray to Sri Radha Goloka Bihari, Sri Sita Ram Laksman Hanuman, Sri Nrsingha Deva and Sri Gaura Nitai to give you good health so that you can help Srila Prabhupada in spreading the message of Gauranga Mahaprabhu and keep visiting Fiji.

Your insignificant servant,
Gokula Bandhu Das

 

I pay my humble respectable obeisance unto Srila Gurudeva´s lotus feet birth after birth. He is repeating from Srila Prabhupada’s books, lectures and Srila Prabhupada’s words and clearing my doubts and helping me back to Godhead. I am fortunate to have a merciful Spiritual Master, again and again my humble respectable obeisances unto Srila Gurudeva´s lotus feet.
Your humble servant,
Gokulananda dasa

Sweden

 

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to the illustrious Sankirtan movement of Lord Caitanya!

I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bir Krsna das Goswami who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

I offer my respectful obeisances to my swan- like spiritual master, who is very dear to Srila Prabhupada because he is faithfully repeating his message with great purity and determination.

On this most blessed event of your divine appearance please accept my humble offering to you.

With a burden of karma this living entity was wandering throughout the entire universe . Sometimes elevated to the upper planetary systems, and sometimes going down on the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, this unfortunate soul by the mercy of Krsna got an unbelievable opportunity to meet your good self. By the mercy of both Krsna and you this soul received the seed of the creeper of devotional service. Because of this, this fortunate servant of yours is very, very thankful for your kindness toward him. Thank you so much dear Gurudev, for saving me from this nasty material world.

Your unworthy servant,
Gokulendra das brahmacari

Sri Sri Gaura- Nitai temple
Zagreb, Croatia

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humblest obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Your Divine Grace!

You never cease to amaze me. Every year, you seem to just find newer and fresher ways to serve Radha, Krishna and Srila Prabhupada by bringing more jivas to Their Lotus Feet. In describing the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, Srinivas Acarya says that the Six Goswamis could be found at many places, seeking out Radha and Krishna, calling out loudly looking for Them as They performed Their pastimes. In the same way, you are constantly going here and there, looking for the most appropriate ways to bring more fortunate living entities into the association of Radha and Krishna and all of Their devotees. I’ve been fortunate to have been given the opportunity to observe you for many years now, and I’ve never seen anything but this: the most sincere and unadulterated desire to serve Radha and Krishna, following most chastely in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada by bringing others to devotional service, never caring a whit for whatever personal desires you may ever have had yourself. In fact, you had every opportunity to accomplish whatever material endeavor anyone could have ever imagined. You’ve always had access to money, resources, manpower, opulence, respect, contacts, and any other “useful” thing in this world, and yet, as I’ve observed carefully over the last 17+ years, you’ve never done anything with such resources except engage them all as fully in Radha’s and Krishna’s service as possible.

And so, considering all this on the most auspicious day of your divine appearance, I can only express in awe how valuable is the example you set for the whole world.

As always, I beg to remain…
Your aspiring, yet struggling garden gnome,
Gopal das

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

rocks
one at a time placed to the side

these are my anartas
these are the limitations I set for myself
these are my mind and thoughts that interrupt my japa
these are my spiritual master’s instructions I have erroneously set to the side
as insignificant
these are the judgments I carry of others
these are the moments I have forgotten about Krsna
these are the lust I carry to be served rather than to serve
these are the seconds I waste
these are the excuses I use
these are the responsibilities I avoid
these are the empathy I chose not to share
these are my desires to satisfy my senses

rocks
one at a time placed to the side
the weight of which is unbearable and denies self-realization
denies one a true home
and denies personal and loving relationships

so how is it I am able to pick them up and place them to the side
when the burden is so tremendous and unending

My dear most Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my respectful obeisances in the dust that is the mercy of your lotus feet.
All glories to you. All glories to our dear most Srila Prabhupada.

This task of moving rocks is only possible through the expression of the unique relationship so mercifully offered by the grace of Srila Prabhupada, the relationship with the spiritual master.

When I look at the rocks denying my heart transcendence, I’m often overwhelmed, yet time after time I place them to the side, and when I look to place the next one, they have been removed; replaced with loving reciprocation.

There is nothing more I desire in this life than to learn what it means to become a selfless and unflinching servant, at your dear most lotus feet. I have come to you as a beggar and the only thing I have to offer is rocks. Yet time and again you accept them, and like a magician they are replaced with acceptance, caring and loving reciprocation – all with the understanding that I will again bring another rock.

This is actually the truest form of love – the favor of which I cannot comprehend, but which undeniably continues to bring me closer to Krsna. Please continue to engage me in your service so that someday I will be able to make a true offering, on this most auspicious day, which is your appearance day, and our greatest fortune.

With deep respect,
Please accept our endless obeisances in the dust of your singing lotus feet,
Your eternally aspiring servant and spiritual daughter,
Gopi dasi

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Thank you very much for being so tolerant in seeing my stumbling service unto you. I feel very privileged to still be your servant and disciple despite of all the calamities that I have gone through for the past year. At the same time I am very much ashamed to bring the manifestation of my consciousness in front of you. How can I be your representative with all that? Not being able to follow your order I’m identifying myself with the character of which Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings in his song Gopinath. And the astonishing thing is that Bhaktivinoda Thakura identifies himself with that character. If such a great acarya thinks himself so miserable, then what does that make of me now? I am simply asking myself, Gopinath das, how low do you have to go in order to realize that you should become humble?

Last winter I had a great fortune to stay in the holy dham of Mayapur for taking bhakti sastri course. Especially I liked the Bhagavad-Gita part for it was so intensive and it was reminding me of some philosophical matters the existence of which I had forgotten. One of the most striking verses was:

yo mam pasyati sarvatra
sarvam ca mayi pasyati
tasyaham na pranasyami
sa ca me na pranasyati
(BG 6.30)

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost nor is he ever lost to me.” In the purport Srila Prabhupada states, “Nothing can exist without Krsna, and Krsna is the Lord of everything – this is the basic principle of Krsna consciousness.” I started to look around and little bit thinking that maybe I should accept what is coming to me in due course of time and I should become peaceful with that. In Mayapur I was also hearing many encouraging lectures like that of Jananivasa prabhu, when he mentioned that the devotee of Krsna is always a winner. Lord Krsna does say that He is the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities. So, I was feeling a little hope for me also.

By the end of my Bhakti sastri course you also came to Mayapur, so I had an opportunity to do a lot of service for you in the holy dham. While I was in poor condition you showed me your pin which was hanging on your bead bag. The pin had a text, “Chant Gauranga and be happy”. It is so simple, yet a little bit far away from me at the moment. Still, with a happy mood and understanding my ultimate benefit, I shall continue performing service unto you in any circumstance. In the beginning of the sixth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Ajamila is regretting his past sinful activities. Just being rescued by Visnudutas, he says,

“I am such a sinful person, but since I have now gotten this opportunity, I must completely control my mind, life and senses and always engage in devotional service so that I may not fall again into the deep darkness and ignorance of material life.”

So, in the same spirit I shall continue serving you, Srila Gurudeva, year after year for the rest of my life. Please, accept me.

Your humble servant,
Gopinath das

Finland

Dear Maharaj Bir Krishna, Guru-Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances today and always. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

My eternal obeisances to that your so kind soul which inspires and accept me.
Thank you for your always friendly words that fill me with happiness. Your dedication and sincerity to Srila Prabhupada is easily seen even by pictures and videos. How much mercy we get by knowing you!

We have the opportunity to take shelter in the dust of your lotus feet by mercy activities from lives of the past. I didn’t achieve enough spiritual advancement yet to have personal contact with you, but still, accept me in your lotus feet as my Siksha-Gurudeva so kind as you are. I try hard and I hope to get Krishna ‘s blessing in order to live near you.

In this special day that we celebrate your appearance on this Earth to serve Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in divulging of the divine glories of Sankirtana-yajna, I pray to never fall in illusion again and for being able, today and always, to serve you any way.

Your smiles and jokes, your way in talking and singing, remind me of the little cowboys of Vrindavana playing with Supreme Gopa. Allow me to serve you and one day to try to satisfy you.

Happiness to you today and always. Happy Birthday!

Hare Krishna.
Your humble servant
Gourasundar Dasa

Brazil

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you so much for finding always new ways to inspire conditioned souls like myself. Recently I was watching your seminar in Croatia and I was very much impressed with your presentation on the topic of “emphatic communications”. It seems that devotees in our communities are very much lacking quality relationships and often it is simply due to miscommunication or no communication at all.

Your seminar was well prepared and presented expertly, which is another proof of your great dedication in service to Srila Prabhupada. The last day of that seminar you also explained that you wanted to do something to please your dear friend and God brother Bhakti Tirtha Swami. I realized that by doing so you are actually setting the perfect example and teaching us how to serve and respect all devotees in relation to Krishna.

Aspiring to become a qualified disciple,

Your servant,
Govinda das

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to your lotus feet!

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura tells us that we should take up the words from the spiritual master as our life and soul. You have done this. Srila Prabhupada wanted our society to be full of independently thoughtful devotees with relationships based on love and trust. You are trying to accomplish this by using empathic communication, conflict resolution, sociology, psychology and other innovative tools and methods to end the domination culture of ISKCON. This work is not easy and you often face criticism. But still you continue on because this is what ISKCON needs and what Srila Prabhupada wanted. Your dedication to ISKCON, the devotees and your spiritual master is inspiring.

Or, to rephrase that – When I listened to your EC seminar last month, I felt inspired, empowered, and enthusiastic because it fulfilled my needs for trust, love, and spiritual upliftment.

I hope that somehow or other, I can serve you in your service to your spiritual master.

Your aspiring servant,
Govinda Gopal das

Marysville, WA USA

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

 

My dear beloved Gurudeva,
Please accept my most humble obeisances unto your divine lotus feet! All glories to Prabhuada and all glories to your service to Lord Chaitanya!

You accepted me because of your divine mercy. I was neither qualified nor special. I didn’t possess any pious credit. Now almost three years later I am still not qualified to be your disciple but because you are so merciful you are taking time and energy to answer my letters, to fight with my wicked mind, to smash my false ego.

In your letters you call me daughter: I am a naughty child who needs correction and protection and you are giving them both. As a child instead of being grateful I am whimsical and not obedient but you tolerate me. I do nonsense but as a loving father cannot reject his naughty child still you are giving me shelter at your lotus feet. Despite me being ungrateful and not conscious of the mercy, you tolerate me.

I hope some day I will grow up not in the sense of become responsible and dedicated disciple of yours. You are like a cloud that distributes mercy freely to everyone without considering who is fit or unfit. I hope one day I will become a fertile ground to receive your mercy and from the rain of your mercy I hope that the bhakti lata bija will grow and give the fruits of Krishna prema.

For now I pray at your divine lotus feet to always have your shelter despite all my foolishness. Thank you for being there when I need you. Thank you for always answering my letters. Thank you for the nice seminars you gave in Croatia about anger and empathic communication. I am happy and proud to have you as my Guru although I am not worthy.

Your most insignificant and humble servant:
Guru Bhakti dd

Bulgaria

 

Todas las glorias a Radha-Krsna!
Todas las gloria a Srila Prabhupada!
Todas las glorias a Gurudeva!

OFRENDA. ME POSTRO ANTE USTED A SUS PIES DE LOTO.

vancha -kalpa-tarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

Tener un Maestro Espiritual, no es común y menos, cuando esta en la sucesión
discípular de un Devoto Puro Srila Prabhupada, no es común. Estar cerca de un
Maestro Espiritual Fidedigno, no es común. Mi Maestro Espiritual ha de tener al-
go especial, para estar cercas del Movimiento del Señor Caitanya.

Mi Maestro es como la Flor de Loto, ya que la desaparición de Srila Prabhupada, el sigue las instrucciones de su Maestro Espiritual trascedental.
Srila Prabhupada le ha inyectado en su corazón el ruci de la devoción.

Oh, Gurudeva! Me postro ante usted a Sus Pies de Loto.
Oh, Gurudeva! Me postro ante usted a Sus Pies de Loto.
Oh, Gurudeva! Me postro ante usted a Sus Pies de Loto.
Oh, Gurudeva! Me postro ante usted a Sus Pies de Loto.

El sigue las instrucciones de su Maestro Espiritual. Le ha inyectado en su co-
razón el ruci de la devoción.

Su sirviente eterno,
Hladini sakti dd

México. D.F.

 

 

 

Dear Bir Krsna Goswami:

Please accept our respectful obeisances at your lotus feet.

It is always a pleasure trying to glorify a great soul like you Maharaja, especially on this auspicious day.

We always remember you like the tireless sadhu who fights everywhere to establish Krsna consciousness for the proper advancement in the nowdays spoiled human race.

Please every now and then remember us Maharaja; we are quite sure that if you remember us, Krsna will show special mercy by the strength of a pure persons
thoughts. The good disposition coming from an exemplary person like you is not at all ordinary.

We hanker for having your most saintly association, and remain praying for a drop of your mercy.

Your servants in León,
Iksvaku das, Madhavi d.d, Govardhana das and Govinda dd

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Having 500 disciples is not sense gratification, especially in Kali yuga. Anyone who thinks that it is, is immature. The fact that you are willing to put out like that shows that you are most self-sacrificing. It also shows that you are most obedient to Srila Prabhupada. I suspect that your devotion goes far beyond mere obedience, however. Your song “Srila Prabhupada” shows a devotion so intense one can hardly believe it to be true. You say “I don’t need liberation. Just to sit at your feet that’s my only wish-helping you to serve Krishna” In this way you constantly chide me about my immature desire for liberation.

You live to send others back to Godhead. You don’t care if you have to undergo all kinds of troubles. The troubles are very real, gross and subtle. Metaphysically, we may say that the Spiritual Master gets the karma, but what about all the demands and abuse that the disciples give constantly? I feel very fortunate to have received your mercy.

Your speech is never stereotyped. It’s completely unpredictable what you will say. Often times you say things and I think, “Did I really hear that?” Never shying from controversy, full of life, full of humor, and always somehow appropriate, your speakings are a great joy. Lord Siva and Lord Brahma listened to the flute playing of Lord Krishna and became bewildered. They could not understand the music of it, though they were supposed to be very learned. Similarly, I cannot understand your mind since I am separated from you by false ego. Please bless me that I may not always remain an outsider, but may one day join you and Srila Prabhupada. In other words, bless me that I may achieve yoga. Prabhupada said that in the chanting we will all be “packed up together.”

Your servant,
Jagadguru das

New Goloka, USA

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to Your
Divine Grace.

I’d like to wish you another Happy Vyasa Puja. It is rare for some one to remain enthusiastic about anything, what to mention spiritual life, for so many years. “Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” (BG 7.3).
The fact that you are constantly preaching Krishna consciousness around the world is a good indication that you do know Krishna in truth. Not only are you maintaining the status quo, but you are enthusiastically expanding Krishna consciousness around the world.

Personally, I have embraced the mode of passion, shunned the mode of goodness, and am left distastefully with the mode of ignorance. I’m still chanting my rounds every day, though rarely with attention. I go through the motions, but more out of duty than desire. I follow the principles to the best of my ability, though I’m gradually getting looser and looser.

Devotional service is one of those things that the more you do it, the more you want to do it. And conversely, the less you do it, the less you want to do it. Many times I just want to chuck it all, but then what would I do? If one is satisfied neither materially, nor spiritually, what option is there?

I guess it means it’s time to get off the fence and make up my mind what’s it gonna be. When I’m down and troubled and I need a helping hand, and nothing, whoa nothing, is going right, I go the temple. Association with Krishna and the devotees can immediately bring me out of a funk. It’s a lot better than associating with my mind.

I appreciate that you have built this temple here out of nothing, that you have brought Krishna consciousness to North Carolina when there was none, and that you have maintained it all these years. I appreciate that you continue to be enthusiastic about Krishna consciousness, and are constantly looking for new ways to expand its reach. I appreciate you allowing me to take you to the airport occasionally, as that is one service that I can do.

It is good to see that Daya-vira Prabhu and the other devotees are enthusiastically outreaching to the public. I am enthusiastic to see the construction of the new temple, to see more and more people visit the temple, to see prasadam distributed systematically. I would be even more enthusiastic to see the community at large working together to develop programs to support one another and our children. For that, we’ll continue to need your vision, guidance, and support.

I pray that I can do more service in the future and that I can become a better representative of Krishna’s devotees. I pray that my family will become more Krishna conscious, otherwise, what is the point of all this?

Please continue to bless us so that we may continue to make progress in
Krishna consciousness.

Your aspiring servant,
Jagannath

New Goloka, N.C. USA

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine
Dearest Spiritual Master,
We offer our humble obeisance’s at the very dust of your lotus feet on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.
Gurudev, because of your causeless mercy we are in Krsna consciousness. Your strong determination gives us strength to fight against Maya and cross the material existence and obtain Krsna consciousness.
We are so fortunate to have you as our spiritual father Gurudev, you are our inspiration in our spiritual life, the message that you have conveyed, and your examples, gives us strength and the desire to maintain enthusiasm in Krsna consciousness.
Thank you Gurumaharaj for giving us the chance to serve you during your Auckland visit. Thank you so much for your guidance and association, which has helped us to make advancement in our spiritual life. Thank you for your love and kindness that you have given us Gurudev. Thank you so much Gurudev for accepting us as your children.
We wish you a very wonderful Vyasa Puja Gurudev.
Yours Fallen Servants,
Jaggattarini DD and Krishan Mani

Auckland, New Zealand

 

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glory to Srila Prabhupada. All glory to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

Thank you for your recent visit to NY. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the passing of Srila Prabhupada, I become increasingly impassioned to assist him in his vision (as he stated) “……. that people understand this philosophy in wider circles.” Please pray that we may be successful in our endeavors.
Happy Vyasa Puja Day.

Your servant,
Jahnavi dd

Quiet Mountain Sanctuary, N.Y. USA

 

 

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Once, while you were visiting Zagreb temple, I was preparing for a japa walk. As I put my shoes on, I realized that you had in mind the same thing. ‘No..’ I said to myself, ‘I want to go alone.. I know this is an opportunity to associate with a sadhu, but, but.. But what? But I am not ready right now.. Yes, I am not ready!’ So, I waited for a few minutes and than went out of the temple. After ten meters I turned my head right and surprisingly, you were there, just starting your japa walk. The reason you were there was the ecological stove you wanted to see.

‘Jesus..’ I thought and asked: ‘May I go with you?’
‘Sure!’ you said.
While walking different thoughts were buzzing through my mind: ‘It seems we are not in control. Just a few minutes ago I was peacefully sitting within the house, and now, just see! Now, here I am, on the Bizek hills walking with a person whose lectures are very much inspiring to me; whose mere appearance fills my heart with enthusiasm and desire for surrendering; whose joyousness, openness, and simplicity are shining and giving life to this lost soul.’

Thank you for accepting me as your disciple.

Your servant,
Jananivasa das

 

Dear Gurudeva!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
On the day of your Vyasapuja we wish to thank you for the spiritual care and inspiration which we receive from your lectures and your example. We wish you good health and forces to continue the preaching and to sing of the Holly Name.
Big thanks to you for the favor to be your disciple and to have an opportunity to communicate with you.
I hope this meets you in good health.
You disciples,
Jayaradhe d.d. and Shyam Krishna dasa

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you and Srila Prabhupada!

Srila Prabhupada mentioned that there are two classes of men – brahmana and kripana. He translates brahmana as liberal, kripana meaning a miser. He seems to say that liberal means utilizing the rare opportunity of the human birth by endeavoring towards spiritual perfection. The brahminical spirit finds its pefection in a devotee. Thinking about you in this regard, it seems that the concept of liberal needs to expanded. I have become increasingly aware of the fact, that your driving motivation isn’t so much your personal success. Rather, your concern is how to help others. This is an expanded concept of liberality – helping others to become liberal.

Liberal has another connotation – related to being tolerant, accepting differences, overlooking faults. The mundane implication of this is seen, when any kind of crazy behavior is becoming acceptable. On the contrary, spiritual life is like walking a razors edge, and there is no room for changing the eternal spiritual principles. If they are changed, the path to Godhead is blocked. At the same time, there is and should be a lot of room for flexibility according to the society we live in. Similarly, each individual requires a kind or a personal recipe of Krishna consciousness. You have opened my eyes to see the vast possibilities regarding preaching strategies. Your efforts to bring in people to Krishna’s lotus feet have led you to try out different apporaches, that haven’t been used before. But this spirit is nothing new in the parampara. Being innovative seems to be a characteristic of an acarya. You have been able to see the condition of the people of today and you are extending your helping hand to pick them up. In this regard it seems that sharing your Krishna consciousness with others has become a transcendental creative art.

Interestingly, this doesn’t imply in any way that something is lacking spiritually. On the contrary, anyone can see that on a personal level you are just becoming more strict with your self. I don’t mean in a negative sense, rather in the footsteps of the six goswamis, where renunciation is born of love of Krishna. Also, sometimes there is an unwarranted fear that flexibility in preaching somehow diminishes the effect of Krishna consciousness. But the message and the package are not one. The most ancient message can reappear time and time again in through differently looking channels, as the world undergoes changes. Your message is always true to your predecessors, despite the fact that you are not afraid to serve the message through reincarnation-therapy or communication seminars.

It is a sign of purity. It is exemplified by Narada Muni himself, who is using all kinds of tricks throughout Bhagavatam to attract the attention of his audience. Why to see such a trouble, wouldn’t it be enough to keep to a standard procedure of preaching? I think it is a question of necessity arising from internal purity. The platform of liberation represents satisfaction with one’s own situation. Krishna consciousness goes far beyond and brings along a positive anxiety – for the welfare of others. You are taking such an anxiety on behalf of your dear Srila Prabhupada and Sri-Sri Radha-Golokananda. Thus your strictness in following your own spiritual master and the Supreme Lord manifests in an innovative and flexible spirit as far as sharing the experience is concerned.

I can see that as far as my own spiritual life is concerned, it is my greatest fortune to be associated with you. The more I observe other spiritually minded people, the more I can realize that I really don’t have any qualities that are needed to live even a remotely decent life, what to speak of advancing spiritually. I can see that it is by your good guidance and your loving acceptance, and by nothing else, that I am able to maintain interest towards this noble path towards the spiritual world. Kindly let me stay connected to you and your disciples.

Your servant
Jayananda das

 

To His Holiness Bir Krsna Goswami on the occasion of his appearance Sri Vyasapuja!

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your Divine Grace! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Srila Gurudeva: when I hear you singing at Mangala Aroti
when I see you chanting japa in the temple room
when I see you offering aroti to Srila Prabhupada
when you ask me to chant the prayers for Sri Tulasi Devi
when I hear your Srimad Bhagavatam class
when you gaze upon the beautiful forms of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda
when you ask about the well-being of the devotees
when you give practical advice
when I receive an email or thank you card sent by you
when you visit my home
when you speak about healthy eating, empathy, and compassion
when you forgive my mistakes
when you tolerate my tardiness
when you overlook my shortcomings
when you accept my offerings
when I hear you laugh and see you smile…

I feel peaceful, happy, safe, joyful, encouraged, enthused, and loved because I have a need for a relationship with someone who cares for me as a spiritual person encased in a material body, and I have a need to witness exemplary role models that inspire courage, servitude, and faithfulness to Krsna in me. I have a need to be connected to Krsna and your actions help fulfill that need.

Dear Gurudeva, you are an inspiration. Each detail of your life is an inspiration.
I am inspired by you. Because of you, I know in my heart what it means to be loved and what it means to give love. As each day in my life goes by, I feel joyful and encouraged and enthused because you are my Gurudeva and you are showing me Radha and Krsna’s love.

My offering to you is my service, my life, my love- that is all that I have. Please accept it.

Your aspiring servant,
Jayasri dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

 

Dear Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to ISKCON founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada!

Happy birthday, Maharaja! I am writing to thank you for the inspiration that you are giving me in my aspiring Krishna consciousness. It is my sincere feeling that Krishna has arranged for me to meet you.

Sravanam, or hearing, is the first of the nine processes of devotional service. Upon meeting you earlier this year, I was deeply impressed by the way that you make it fun and exciting to hear about topics related to Krishna . By using modern insight and bold humor; by using webcams and PowerPoint, you make the message of the Bhagavatam appear even more relishible. I am eager to dive in and taste the taste that you have tasted.

No doubt you care about me, Maharaja. My past is full of everything undesirable and unspeakable. You were willing to give me a chance, because you saw that I was sincere, and ready to make a change for the better. I am now ready to continue the challenge of harnessing the mind, with the knowledge that you believe in me.

What can I do for you in return? Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisance! I pray that I will have more of your association in the future. Please continue to take care of me.

Your aspiring servant,
Jishnu Dasa

Boston, MA USA

 

namah om visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namah om visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate tamal krishna goswamin iti namine

namah om visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

My Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet on this very auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.

You have appeared in this world to help the conditioned souls from material entanglement. You are helping in so many ways by your wonderful qualities and teachings.

I would like to glorify some of your wonderful qualities which I have observed over the past few years; you are very very faithful to your spiritual master, well versed in scriptures, very sharp memory, preach in a loving manner, always joyful, exhibit ecstasy when you chant the holy name of the Lord, you have got patience in the highest degree, you leave insult or personal gain aside, to please Krsna.

The two things you taught me a few days ago- being patient and leaving personal interest aside and work for the society – I remember it almost everyday and try to achieve it and assist you.

I am so pleased and thankful to you, you have made my children devotees. I am also very much thankful to you for having continued my spiritual master’s mission and for visiting us regularly.

Your servant,
Jivanath Das

 

 

My dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to You!

I have been thinking a lot and realized that actually I do not know you at all. I do not know on what spiritual level you are or anything near that. I just know that for me you are the representative of Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for connecting me with the guru-parampara and Srila Prabhupada by initiation. Although I am not aware of the meaning and power of it.

You are my great inspiration and it is because of you that I am still around and will always be, serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission, serving ISKCON.

Thank you for seeing only the good in me. And thank you for praying for me.

You travel all around the world and risk your health just to inspire your disciples. I am sorry because I am not able to appreciate you enough and honor you in the right way.

Those few realizations that I have in my spiritual life is just your mercy. I hope that in the future I will realize more. So that if I do not become a pure devotee at least I hope to become a good devotee.

And as Bhaktivinoda Thakur says for his spiritual master:
‘ Your mercy is all I am made off! ‘
I do not have a realization but still I know it is true.

Please never give up on me. I am doing my best.

Happy Vyasa puja my dear father,
I wish you all the best!

Your eternal servant,
Kamala Manjari devi dasi

Slovenija

 

 

Dear Gurudev,

I hope you have a great birthday. I hope you will remember Krishna wherever you are. Come back to New Goloka soon.

Your servant,
Kapila

New Goloka, USA

 

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most respectful obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to you!

On this most auspicious occasion of Vyasa-puja, I thank Lord Krishna for giving me an opportunity to think of His pure devotee and worship him.
I want to offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.

Your servant,
Keshava dasa

Denmark

Dearest Father,

I beg you to please accept my unworthy obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to you, dearest father. All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

A very happy Vyasa puja to you!

I remember very clearly the last time you celebrated your Vyasa puja in Fiji. You had said then that everyone was asking you what they could give you as a gift and that you had thought about it and decided that you wanted everyone to re-affirm themselves as sincere followers of Srila Prabhupad and that you wanted everyone to become pure devotees by chanting sincerely, as by becoming pure devotees we would ensure that ourselves as well as everyone we came across would get the highest benefit.

I ask for your mercy that I can continue to chant sincerely.

I am looking forward to seeing you again soon physically.

Please also bless my husband and my little son Nimai so that they both can become pure devotees.

With all my love always,
Kisori dasi

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

Gurudeva, you are my father and I, unfortunately, am still like a teenage daughter, certain that I know what’s best for me and constantly ready to miss out on what’s important due to an uncontrolled attraction to frivolous enjoyment.

Unlike the child, the parent has not only wisdom & experience, but boundless love and a pure and unwavering desire for the true happiness of the child. This is you, a perfect parent. You are constantly there to give guidance, your love is unconditional and you practice everything that you preach. Perhaps you can be a little overprotective, but then what does the word “overprotective” even mean to a loving parent?

That is why, though I rebel against what is ultimately best for me, I have faith in you, and when I make a mess of things I know that the only thing left to do is to return and take shelter of you. I hope to someday make you really happy, to give back what you have given me by growing up and standing on my own two feet as a first class disciple.

In this world of darkness and illusion, you are my one true friend; your words are a lifeline to true freedom and eternal happiness. You connect me to Srila Prabhupada, to Gaura and Nitai, to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. There is no greater gift than what you give and thus there can be no greater friend to me than you and no better shelter. Thank you Gurudeva, always.

Your eternal daughter,
Krishnaa devi dasi

Boston, MA USA

 

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Hare Krishna!
Happy appearance day to you and to us! I certainly appearance the time we get to spend with you at the Vancouver Ratha Yatra. Each year you come and we are
allowed to have your darshan. You take so much time to spend with us and allow us to do service, which is sublime. Thank you!

A neophyte devotee as myself has no ability to approach the Absolute Personality of Godhead by my imperfect material senses and therefore we rely on your mercy and blessings to gain some measure of taste for engaging in transcendental service to the Lord.

Please pray for all of us to follow your directions and example to remain engaged in transcendental loving service to the Lord and become gradually freed from
all material entanglements after so many life-times.

Your aspiring servant,
Krishna kumari devi dasi

Vancouver, BC

 

Dear Srila Guru Dev,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Your divine appearance in this material world is a great relief for unlimited suffering souls. Your pure devotion and firm determination to spread out Lord Caitanya’s movement can’t be glorified in words. Your spiritual sadhana teaches all of us to utilize every moment to serve Srila Prabhupada.

The most merciful Deities Sri Sri Radha Golokananda is manifested by your Bhakti. We are here under the shade of your lotus feet to beg your mercy to remain on the devotional path.

Your servant,
Krishna Priya Dasi (Indian)

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda!!!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

Recently we had a japa immersion in the temple here at New Goloka. I was appreciating the wonderful standard that you have set in regards to chanting japa with attention and devotion. I was very happy to be in the temple room with Sri Sri Radha Golokananda and Srila Prabhupada. How can we thank you for everything you have done to give us this oasis of the spiritual world here in North Carolina.

It was very funny for just when I was “mystically” feeling your association with us in the japa retreat you began chanting from the webcam. How funny!!!! Yes, your sense of humor certainly keeps us from getting complacent or too absorbed in our own problems.

You have always been an inspiration to so many of us. Your determination despite all obstacles and faith in following Srila Prabhupada has kept me on the path of devotional service. You are certainly a spiritual anchor and source of strength.

Yesterday I was watching the videos of your seminars and I was appreciating the time and effort that you are taking to help devotees and to create an atmosphere of caring and compassion.

Please forgive me for all of the offenses that I have made to you over the years. Please guide me on the path to the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna and let me develop a drop of the compassion that you have for helping others.

I pray to always remain in your association,
Your servant,
Krishna Priya devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

Dear Bir Krishna Swami Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I have scrapped a number of attempts at writing an offering to you.
I’m still struggling with this attempt, struggling to offer something.
It’s kind of like the proverbial question, “What do you give a person who has everything?” In this case it’s, “What do you give a person who already has the Lord’s affection?”

The Lord has already given you purity, strength, mercy, steadiness, wisdom, devotion, beauty, renunciation and the force that accompanies great purity.
It leaves me speechless.

My only recourse is to hold a mirror up to you, like they do on the altar, and you can see for yourself what He has done in you.
But your deep humility wouldn’t let that happen, I’m sure!
Forgive me for embarrassing you, if I have.
Instead of embarrassing you further with praises, let me offer my gratitude to you.

Where would I be, where would all the sweet devotees be, had you not labored to create and build a temple for us all?
These words are heartfelt, but they surely pale in comparison to the bliss awaiting you in the future when Srila Prabhupada thanks you himself.
Please let me be of service at your beloved temple.

Your servant,
Krishna Rati dasi

New Goloka, USA

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

My Dearest Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances unto your lotus feet on this very auspicious occasion of your Vyaas pooja.

It is through your causeless mercy that we your servants Krsna Balarama and Sudevi are here today. We both must’ve done many pious deeds in many lives to have taken shelter under the lotus feet of a spiritual master like yourself.

You are the ocean of mercy and a symbol of goodness in this defying age of Kali. You have bought light into our lives and given us the true reason to live. You possess all the wonderful Vaishnava qualities and we both wish when we grow up, we can attempt to be like you for we know it is impossible to be a great soul like you thus we shall only try to follow the footsteps of yourself.

Gurudeva, you have always seen us as your children even though we are just mere servants and you have given such inexperienced disciples like ourselves the opportunity to serve your lotus feet directly. You have always guided us towards the path of perfection and blessed us endlessly to become successful in life. You have even blessed us to get rich and buy a big house so when you come to New Zealand, you can stay with us. This is just an indication of the mercy and encouragement that you provide to the both of us.

We finally pray to the Supreme Lord to bless you endlessly so that you continue spreading the nectar of Krsna consciousness and continue glorifying and delivering fallen souls like ourselves.

We humbly beg you O Dear Gurudeva! Please continue to provide us shelter under your divine lotus feet and provide us the opportunity to be in your service eternally for we both know we were only born to serve you…….

Happy Appearance Day Gurudev!

Your Eternal Servants,
Krsna Balarama Das and Sudevi Dasi

New Zealand

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

SRILA GURUDEV’S VYASA PUJA KI JAI

My Dearest Guru Maharaj,

All glories, All glories, All glories to Srila Gurudev, All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On this most auspicious day of yours Srila Gurudev, please accept my most humble obeisance at your lotus feet.

My Gurudeva, I am so unfortunate that I am unable to have your association, your darshan and even attend your Vyasa Puja since I came to New Zealand (Wellington to complete my studies). I am trying my level best to follow your instructions but really miss your association as I was having in Fiji.

On this most auspicious day I would like to thank you for accepting me as your disciple, giving me your love and inspiring me with the desire to enter into the eternal service of Krishna.

Praying to Lord Krishna & Srimati Radharani to shower their mercy upon my Gurudev Maharaj, so that HE always keeps smiling, be always healthy and keeps showering his mercy upon fallen souls like me.

Please Gurudeva, always shower your mercy upon me, please help me to have the strength so that I can with humility surrender onto your lotus feet.
Please Gurudeva, always shower your mercy upon my family, so that we all can serve you with love and devotion together and enter into eternal service of Krishna.

Dear Gurudeva, I am really looking forward to seeing your lotus feet and to hearing your nectarian words.

Srila Gurudeva Ki Jai

Your most fallen son,
Krsna candra das

Wellington, NZ

 

 

 

Dear Father,

Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your Lotus-Like Feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace, who are saving the world by spreading pure love of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, and saving the bewildered souls like ourselves by giving us shelter and your association through your transcendental lectures and bhajans.

I always feel inspired whenever I hear you speaking and chanting.

Your daughter,
Kundlata devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada
Todas las glorias a usted Srila Gurudeva en este su gran dia.

Ofrezco humildes dandavats reverenciando a los benditos pies de loto de mi maestro espiritual quien es un muy digno discipulo de Srila Prabhupada y un devoto puro del Supremo Señor Krishna.

Querido Gurudeva, deseo que este su bendito Vyasa Puja de este año sea usted muy feliz cantando esas bellas canciones al Supremo Señor Krishna, rodeado de sus muy dignos discipulos y recordando los eternos pasatiempos de Krishna de modo que su vida sea perfecta.

Gurudeva usted ha inspirado mi vida espiritual yo no soy nadie sin usted. Todos los dias yo lo recuerdo a usted a traves del bendito mantra gayatri y tambien al Señor Caitanya y a Krishna mismo. Yo veo que usted me lo ha dado todo, ya que incluso por su misericordia sin causa puedo entrar al altar de Mexico mandir y servir directamente a Radha Madana Gopal y ahora efectuó ese maravillo servicio a nombre de usted que es lo único que yo puedo hacer.

Hace ya cuatro años que no tenemos sus discipulos de Mexico su bendita asociación pero este año volveremos a verlo y eso nos da fuerza espiritual para seguir esforzandonos en este mundo material.

En este su Vyasa puja le ruego a Srila Prabhupada, al Señor Caitanya y al señor Krishna que lo colmen de bendiciones hoy y siempre y que le permitan seguir predicando sobre las glorias del Señor supremo por todo el mundo y gozando de buena salud permitiendole regresar al Goloka Vrindavan.

Su indigno sirviente,
Kurma das

Mexico

 

 

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

TUSIND TAK!!!
These two words say it all!

I simply cannot thank you enough for allowing me to take shelter of you over
the past 14 or so years. When my former spiritual master left his position & later when he left his body, you were there to support & help me through it all. You never once considered me less important because I had not formally taken shelter of you, which is what never ceases to amaze me. Lets face it, there aren’t so many spiritual masters who take the time or deal in such a personal way as you do. What you do, is very rare when you think about it.

Your mood has always been one of compassion & personalism. You are always
there for the devotees, despite your hectic schedule. I am still getting used to the ‘cyber guru’ bit, I must say, but it also means that you are ever close at hand.

I remember once when you were visiting Sweden, that you called to ask where
I was & when we could meet. It was the first time it had happened & I was
dumbfounded! I had no idea you were only a half hour away but you took the
effort to seek me out, which was astounding. I think it was then that I understood how personal & compassionate you were. I was (am) a nobody, simply a disciple of another spiritual master who happened to one day write & thank you for a song you once wrote. Big deal, so what? But somehow the connection & contact has remained throughout the years, ending with my taking shelter of you as a spiritual master. How fortunate could I be?

Of course your mercy & compassion is known to all your disciples & it is on this day that we can express that appreciation in flowery words & elaborate descriptions of yourself, but those words must, as you so strongly stress, come from the heart & not the intellect. I hope sincerely that you will see something from the heart in this offering.

In Finland, during your visit this year, I learnt so much about your dealings with disciples, your views & philosophical prowess, as well as gained a lot from the instructions you gave to others. It was one of the most powerful spiritual experiences I have had in all my years in ISKCON & it showed me what a wonderful personality you really are. How giving & sincere & devoted in your service to Srila Prabhupada.

Taking shelter of your lotus feet is truly a spiritual gift to us as your disciples & well wishers. I look forward to many years of learning how I may serve you.

Your servant,
Lalita-Gopinatha dasi

Copenhagen, Denmark

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories unto your Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada! All glories unto my Spiritual Master, You!

I want to thank you for being the only consistent part of my life. I am living in a fast-paced time of life, where every 10 weeks I’m presented with three new subject matters and three new professors who attempt to persuade me in their rationale of reality. Some of the information they give me coincides with things that previous professors have instructed me in, and some of the information they give me totally contradicts everything other professors have said. I can’t imagine going through this time of life without being firmly grounded to Reality. So many students are being bounced around by the weakness of their own intelligence, and as they pass each year in university they do not achieve peace through knowledge but instead graduate with a huge sense of panic not knowing what step to take next in life and only hoping that it will bring satisfaction to them.

I am living a completely different experience! I have a strong wall of Vedic knowledge, which allows me to bounce off all nonsense each professor tries to throw at me. My understanding of Krishna consciousness allows me to filter those things which may be useful to know from those things which are mundane, or simply untrue. My stability in this time of life is present only because of two things both of which exist because of you. The first is your example, and the second is your legacy.

Your example not only shines bright as a living guide in how to live a perfect life, but also represents hope. I see you, and I know that it is possible to live as a Pure Devotee. Sometimes however I fail to remember you, and in turn to remember Krishna, and this is where your legacy comes in. You have trained so many disciples to also be pure devotees, and it never fails that each time my gaze strays from the path of devotional service one of these beloved God-brothers or God-sisters is there to ensure that I do not fall off of the path. Because of this and ultimately because of you I have a connection to the Parampara which eventually leads to a connection with Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. Along with this comes an understanding of life’s purpose which is to always remember Krishna, and peace. No matter where life leads me I will always be on the same path, which is following my father back Home back to Godhead.

Thank you for allowing me to be your spiritual daughter,
Lila Manjari

San Diego CA USA

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Dear Gurudeva,

All glories to you. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

Your dependable chastity to Srila Prabhupada
Your steadiness of sadhana
Your humor and practicality in applying Vedanta
Your understanding and tolerance
Your willingness to change when you find a different way
Your appreciation of ISKCON and
Your constant instruction

make me feel safe and peaceful in an otherwise wild, wild world. I am constantly praying to rid myself of pride and ego so that I may actually develop qualities that are useful and pleasing for your service.

Your aspiring servant,
Lilasuka dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to you on this auspicious day.

Almost 16 years ago I wrote you a letter asking you to be my siksa guru. My reasoning for the surrender (which was hard due to previous events having nothing to do with you and which therefore required a logical reason in my mind) was based on a principle I had heard of: that in India, when one is defeated by a superior person, one should become a disciple of that person.

Although I was naturally drawn to you, I needed a reason. It wasn’t hard to find one. I saw that you were superior, that you were way ahead of me, and thus I surrendered.

Nothing has changed. You are still way ahead of me. Sometimes you are so far ahead that I not only can’t understand but I think it is you who can’t understand – and then it becomes clear to me that I am wrong and you are ahead! It becomes clear when I finally get what you are trying to teach me, and grow.

Now you are leading the way toward a healthier society. Although I have kicked and resisted, I can begin to see that you are gently but relentlessly helping me correct my own dysfunction. I am sorry for all the resistance, and I am grateful and amazed at your courage and persistence. My faith in you grows the more I understand what you are saying and what your purpose is, and the more I see the good effect in me.

And, lest this is too controversial a topic to base my whole offering on, I will also mention how you give me and everyone so much strength by your consistency in sadhana and sticking to Prabhupada so faithfully. Anyone who sees this, and understands spiritual science, has to know that there really can’t be anything actually controversial in your teaching, or how could you remain so spiritually strong?

You say you are seeking to gain compassion. It is your true compassion that keeps you so fixed in purpose against opposition.

I am just hoping and praying that I will have the spiritual strength to follow you.

Your eternal servant,
Madhava priya dd

Your Vyasapuja is coming up. I wrote an offering, and sent it. But it was not adequate because I was trying to do as you said, tell WHAT you did in some specific way rather than just a lot of grand praise. But really our relationship is so broad and deep that just telling you what you did that I appreciate can never be an adequate expression. I am trying to think of what I can write that would be closer to the way it really is.
Maybe I should try to tell you about your position in my life. Especially since you may wonder about that, what with the talk about disciples being more independent. I may find myself ready to use my own intelligence etc and finding my way myself, but whatever I do has to be in line with what you say and has to be pleasing and inspiring to you, not because I can’t figure things out but because of a bond of love. I want that everything I do is service to you or supportive of service to you, and inspiring to you, that my whole life is for you in Krishna’s service just as your whole life is for Prabhupada’s service and for your disciples.

That is the best I can do expressing it, at this point in my life. Thank you for being in my life!

I hope you are well.
Your servant,
Madhava priya

Atlanta, Ga. USA

 

 

 

Dear Srila Guru Maharaja,

I hereby respectfully offer my dandvata pranamas again and again at the dust of your lotus feet with my family members on this very auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja.

All glories to our beloved Guru Maharaja. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Guru Maharaja, I consider my qualifications are very minimum for me to be able to describe the magnanimity of your divine personality. But it is this divine personality of yours that has accepted us as your disciple. I feel that our relationship as Guru and disciple is eternal – not only in this material world, but very beginning from Goloka Vrindavana. So you are very very precious to us. Therefore, I pray to Sri Sri Radha Golokabihari to keep this precious relationship forever….

bramanda bramite kono bhagyavan jiva
guru krsna prasade paya Bhakti-lata bija

According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Out of the many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Lord Krsna. By the mercy of Lord Krishna and the guru parampara I have got the mercy of your divine lotus feet.

Srila Guru Maharaj, we have physically witnessed the glorious mercy which you have showered upon your disciples and the disciples of other gurus who were on the pilgrimage tour of India equally, earlier this year. You were so humble that your divine association made us feel that we very much at home. We have heard before the tour that we will be facing many difficulties during our India tour, but in the shelter of your lotus feet we had never come across any obstacle or difficulties. Why? Because Lord Krsna is always present with His (nitya-mukta) devotee as your good self. We are conscious that how much of your valuable time you have spent for your disciples, which cannot be measured.

Srila Guru Maharaja, we very much appreciated your various superb qualities of a bona fide Vaisnava Guru. One of the typical examples was that when we were on pilgrimage tour of Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda area, you were suffering from terrible influenza, yet you did not stop the pilgrimage tour. That was a clear indication that you were one hundred percent Krsna conscious and that you are a spirit soul but not this material body. Furthermore Guru Maharaj, you never had any bias attitude towards any particular devotee. You had your equal vision on each and every devotee. We are proud of your lotus like thoughts and feelings on various devotees.

We are aware of the fact that you are trying your very best to fulfill the mission of your spiritual master Srila A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Prabhupada. We know that traveling around the countries is not an easy task. We have already experienced once during our pilgrimage tour of India. Yet you are performing your painstaking tour of various countries to spread Krsna consciousness without any hesitation. Also we know that Lord Krsna is with you on your every steps….

Srila Guru Maharaja, we respectfully offer our obeisances again and again at the dust of your lotus feet for all the help you have given us to advance in Krsna consciousness. We wish you a very happy Appearance Day. Srila Guru Maharaja Ki Jaya!
Hare Krishna………

Your Eternal Servants,
Madhumangala Das and Lolaksih Devi Dasi

Suva, Fiji Islands

 

 

Dear Guru Deva,

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Please accept my humble obeisances on this most auspicious day of your appearance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you for your kindness and mercy in giving me shelter at your lotus feet. I still find it difficult to comprehend I have a spiritual master who cares about me and is my well-wisher, one who enthuses me to be more devotional, serve with my heart, be kind to everyone, serve the devotees and continue the Gouranga campaign with greater enthusiasm. I feel as if you have revived me, given me life just as Sri Hanumanji brought the sanjivani herb to revive Lord Lakshman. Thank you for teaching that KC is fun. AND I feel so happy.
Thank you Guru Deva.

I pray that I will be able to be a good disciple and preach in the way that would make you happy.

Your eternal servant,
Madhura Radhika devi dasi

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances at your lotus feet in this very auspicious day of your appearance. All glories to His Devine Grace Srila Prabhupada!!!

Dear Gurudeva, lately we have experienced how you care more and more about all of us and because of that you are showing us that developing compassion and empathy for ourselves and for others is crucial in Krishna Consciousness.

Being self-centered and having a hard hart seems to be the common denominator in this world at this present age, at least for most of us. And not being deprived from these diseases, it seems so hard to develop these qualities. But thanks to your guidance and example, I have been able to at least recognize this. Also that we should meditate on positive goals and not on the negative habits that we are trying to get read off. So many times I have found myself responding to this same instructions in a negative way, just contemplating the negatives rather than focusing on the goals that I would like to achieve.

Many of these times were right in front of you, interacting with you. When I just heard all these good instructions, still my response was not the appropriate. Then I realized how conditioned I am to this type of behavior. If this deep conditioning is there from just this short lifetime, I can’t even imagine how deep is the conditioning of the three modes of material nature over the soul through uncountable lifetimes.

I would like to thank you so very much for being so patient and compassionate with all of us, especially showing so much patience with my slow reciprocation. I personally experience that having some patience for somebody that keeps stepping on the same stone is extremely difficult, what to speak of being compassionate. But it’s your compassionate nature; your love and patience, that caring nature that have helped me develop strength in this wonderful path of Krishna Consciousness.

Please bless me Srila Gurudeva that I can remain your servant lifetime after lifetime and that I can develop the appropriate service mood towards you, Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

Your aspiring servant,
Mahamantra das

New Goloka, USA

 

Dearest Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

I offer my respectful obeisances to my swan-like spiritual master, who is very dear to Srila Prabhupada because he is faithfully repeating his message with
great purity and determination

“Service in Krsna consciousness is, however, best practiced under the able guidance of a spiritual master who is a bona fide representative of Krsna, who knows the nature of the student and who can guide him to act in Krsna consciousness. As such, to be well-versed in Krsna consciousness one has to act firmly and obey the representative of Krsna, and one should accept the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master as one’s mission in life.” (excerpt from purport BG 2.41)

You have certainly accepted the instruction of Srila Prabhupada as your mission in life. You are most definitely well versed in Krsna conciousness due to your acting firmly and obeying the orders of Srila Prabhupada. In this way you are continuing the unbroken line of disciplic succession. You are a bona fide representative of Krsna and a most faithful servant of your beloved spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. For all of this, I am eternally grateful. Thank you very much.

Your aspiring servant,
Mandakini devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

My Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you! All glories to your mother who helped you come to this world! For many others and my poor little self, the most auspicious is this day, the day of your appearance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, yours and our dearest Gurudev! By His mercy, Lord Krishna Himself arranged us to meet.

I’ll never forget that moment when I first saw you. I didn’t know who you are, or anything about you, but when I saw you dancing at morning kirtan (in Zagreb, last winter) with such a dedication, it was enough for me to realize how you must be some spacial jiva.

Your energy is like a thunder. I was enjoying every bhajan, lecture you gave, every word you said during seminar, even though I wasn’t ready to understand everything you said, by your mercy every thing seemed so clear and wonderful.
Your appearance enlightened made me alive and gave me much more faith.
By your expert methods of teaching, by your body talk, positive altitude, experiences, your loving smile after every sentence and that faith that strongly stands underneath all this, I was and still am amazed.

Every day more and more people were coming to the temple wanted to have darshan with you and Adi lila Prabhvi wrote down when that can be done. All this was new to me when all of a sudden she said how you want to talk to me. I was in shock! To me??? Who am I to waste His precious time!?! I didn’t sleep almost whole night thinking what will I ask you, of all the questions that could be asked. It is still amazing for me to know how there is absolutely anything that could be asked, because you are full of knowledge I admire and appreciate you.
Your compassion inspired me to tell you everything that was on my mind that day and you were so tolerant and caring.
Just thank you is not the word in which I could express my gratitude.

You are like parijat, simple, lovely smelling and pure.
I would like to be like a little bee who will turn the nectar from it to the honey and give to everybody I could reach. Please give me mercy, strength and intelligence to be to able to understand your guidance, so I could share it with other people who don’t have the opportunity to know you, yet.

Your servant,
Manjari Gopi devi dasi

Croatia

 

To my dear spiritual uncle,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am writing to show my appreciation for the contribution you have made to my life. You came along (by Krishna’s grace) at a time where I was feeling a little shattered by various experiences but also willing to move forward.

I felt so much support and encouragement from you which lifted me from that very deep struggle.

I am so comfortable in revealing my mind to you because I know you care.

I find the way you teach us is so practical and you are so in touch with where we are at and you preach relevant topics to help us advance towards Krishna
consciousness.

It is a breath of fresh air for me to observe you connecting with devotees and caring for them and guiding them back home.

I am very happy I met you and I hope that I can always have your association.

I pray you live for many more years and continue to empower devotees to offer their lives to Krishna joyfully!!

Your servant
Manjulali dasi

Sydney, Australia

 

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada for trying to take us out of this impolite place.

Thank you so much for blessing me with the faith that to really follow you and to try to repay my debt to you I must develop your mood of kindness and undertake
all kinds of risks to help the less fortunate understand the urgency of the human form of life. You have blessed me, and others, with a spiritual family who share this faith and have help to nurture this small devotional creeper which would have otherwise wilted and perished by now. But, most of all, you have blessed me with the constant reminder that despite my insignificance I can still render service to you and the Vaisnavas and some day bring some inspiration,
hope, and faith to others, just as you have done with your sons and daughters in Krsna.

I CONTINUALLY ASPIRE to serve you in this mood and only by constant
vigilance in the daily application of this will I be able to purify this heart giving me the strength to serve you more and more. Even though there are many
activities that we can do to please Krsna, Krsna Himself has given a specific opinion.

naham ijya-prajatibyam
tapasosamena-va
tusyeyam sarva-bhutatma
guru-susrusaya yatha

Translation: I, the soul of all beings, am not as satisfied by ritual worship, Brahminical initiation, penances or self-discipline as I am by faithful
service rendered to one’s spiritual master.

Please help me to make this my life and soul, and never allow me to lose this most precious spiritual gift that you have given me!

Trying to be the servant of your servants!

Markandeya Rsi Dasa B.

 

namah om vishnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krishna das goswamin iti namine

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. On this most auspicious day I feel great for being accepted as your disciple. You are very kind to poor hearted souls removing all troubles and miseries by giving shelter at your lotus feet.

You live for the welfare, development and happiness of others. You are seen in the atmosphere of natural scenic beauty where there are transparent reservoirs of water nicely decorated with stems of lotus flower in variegated colors of natural beauty.

From the personal examples of Sri Narad Muni in his previous birth it is clear that the service of the Lord begins with the service of a bonafide spiritual master. Srila Gurudev, you are the transparent medium by which one can visualize the Lord. Upon serving you, Krishna consents to reveal Himself in proportion to the service rendered.

Gurudev, by your grace one is able to understand the actual position of the Lord and attain the highest perfection of life.

HAPPY VYAS PUJA!!!

Yours most fallen servants,
Matsya Avatar Das Adhikari
Yamuna Devi Dasi and Subhadra

Labasa, Fiji Islands

Dear Srila Gurudeva, dearest Spiritual Father,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Your Divine Grace! All glories to Giriraja Sri Govardhana!

Our life was given meaning this year when you called us your ‘family in Govardhana’ and expressed a longing to stay in Govardhana affording us the opportunity to serve you. Whereas previously we were floundering between here and there wondering where Krsna would direct us, your loving encouragement provided us a clear goal and a wonderfully sweet meditation. “Dear Sri Giri Govardhana, please allow us to live near You so that we can do some small service for a dear servant of Yours, our very kind Guru Maharaja.”

Thank you for your loving care these past many years. We are so grateful for your insistence that we take initiation nearly ten years ago. We were so foolishly not taking the idea very seriously but it was the smartest choice we ever made. We feel confident that if we can somehow please you, our success in this life is assured. The debt we owe you can never be repaid. And so we can only pray and pray to be able to please you in some small way.

We are ever grateful for your solid example of heartfelt compassion for all conditioned souls. You are a shining moon in Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtana Movement. “May your glories be spread all over the world! We take shelter of your lotus feet.”

Your son, daughter and granddaughter out in Govardhana,
Mayapurcandra dasa, Campakalata devi dasi, and Padmavati devi dasi

 

Dear Gurudeva.

This year I had a special desire to read your offering on the day of
Prabhupada Vyasa puja. When I read it, I was deeply moved. You were asking
to be more compassionate.

And than I remembered all those moments, when I was with you either
personally or with letters and you gave me so much support and love. Yuo did
not smashed me with heavy words even if I did not do my best. You are the
firts person I can really trust without being afraid of being hurt or used.

This year on Serbian camp we did regression in the past life. When I told
you what I saw, you immediately understood me and gave me support.* *I felt
safe and relief. I need to trust my authorities, I need to know they are
compassionate. And you gave me that and I am most gratefull for this.

Just few days ago I was wondering: a person who is prepared to accept karma
of others – what kind of person must that be. How is it possible to be so
selfless. And above all – you are joyful and telling us not to worry. I am
amazed.

It is really incredible mercy just to know you. Dear Gurudeva, thank you for
all. And I hope and pray to do more loving service for you in the future.

your servant
mohini-radha-devi dasi

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glory to you and Srila Prabhupada!

On the auspicious day of your appearance I would like to send you nice words to thank you for your caring and leadership in my spiritual life.
For that occasion I would like to share with you my realization about the importance of the Spiritual masters lotus feet.

Some time ago one spiritual person asked me if am I satisfied with my spiritual life in the bhakti process. I thought for a long time what to answer when a sentence from the scripture came into my mind. It spoke that a person is very happy when it after many millions of years achieves the mercy of a Spiritual masters lotus feet. My heart was trembling when I realized that I am the most happy person because my spiritual way was opened for going back home through your lotus feet.

I felt secure, protected and connected on the way to going back to the place from where I fell down a long time ago. Therefore, thank you again and again on your mercy, patience and tolerance in leading this falling soul.

I will share the Divine Names as my serving to help other souls to get the same opportunity.

Your servant,
Mrtyu Mrtyu das

Croatia

 

My Dear Spiritual Father,

Please accept my most respectful obeisancies and congratulations on your Vyasa-puja day. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you.

During this year I have been amazed to see how many new things you have started to do and techniques to use to be able to both present Krishna consciousness to different audiences and to strengthen devotees abilities to make spirituality as their lifelong project. On a daily basis you are showing by your actions that it is only one’s own imagination that is setting limits for what one can do to serve Krishna.

Before I came to know you the definition of devotional service I had adopted was a very limited one. Basically I considered only that service that was performed inside the temple walls or authorized by the temple to be favorable for Krishna. You broadened that view exponentially and continue to do so. I am so thankful for that since it has opened a whole new world for me, the world where every service is valuable and giving opportunities to develop essential qualities you need to learn to love Krishna and His every little part and parcel.

I consider your most significant teachings, both by words and by action, to be dealing with the importance of compassion. I have often heard you saying that the more you give the more you get, adding that a spiritualist without compassion towards all living entities is not a real spiritualist. By seeing your compassion I am getting enlivened to try to help suffering souls by myself also, although in a practical level I am falling short from that in many ways.

Before I was praying that Krishna would just alleviate my own suffering, but nowadays my daily prayer before leaving home is that I would be able to help spiritually those souls I am meeting during the day, some way or other, even a little bit. Not possessing a well developed spiritual vision like you, I am not always recognizing suffering in itself nor the methods to alleviate it. However, with your help I ended up choosing a helping profession that is giving a lot of opportunities to develop compassion. When it is undeniable that the suffering of another is bigger than my own it does stop even me. When I am taking care of a child with cancer it becomes natural to use opportune moments to chant Krishna’s names for him or her.

On this auspicious day of your appearance I wish to thank you for teaching me the most valuable things I have learned during my life. I pray to be able to learn more from you every day and to apply your instructions in a practical way also.

Your daughter and servant,
Nandarani devi dasi

Finland

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami. All glories to you our most merciful beloved spiritual master, our dearest father.

Please accept our most humble obeisances unto your divine lotus feet on the most auspicious day of your appearance day.

Thank you dearest father for protecting us and guiding us in so many ways. You have given us so much mercy by accepting us fallen souls as your disciples yet we are not able to follow the path you show our feet trembles at times. Please bless us dearest father so we become purely engaged in your service. We fallen souls pray to lord Nrsimha deva for your protection.

Srila Gurudeva Vyas puja mahautsav ki jay!

Your most fallen servants/daughter,
Narayani dd, Bhaja Govinda dasa and
Shyam Sundar

Dear Srila Bir Krishna Maharaj:

Reference: Your Appearance Day Vyasa puja Celebration – October 2007 .

Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet. We are all slowly progressing in the spiritual path by your blessings. You are working tirelessly to spread the glories of Lord Krishna and preach the Absolute truth in this country, Europe, and farther places like Fiji. You have been working so hard to preach to the people of Fiji, and complete the largest ISKCON temple outside India in Suva, Fiji. What a wonderful service to the mission of Srila Prabhupad and to the humanity at large?

As is evident from so many demoniac and terrorist acts that are taking place around the world affecting so many innocent human lives, this age of Kali is degrading exactly as was predicted in Srimad Bhagavatam. In the name of religion, people are acting irreligiously with demoniac mentality. The only hope, that can save people from this, is to take shelter of a Guru like you who has completely dedicated his life for spreading Krishna Consciousness. It is certainly by Srila Prabhupad’s mercy and divine arrangement, you are in a key leadership role in GBC to tackle the various problems.

We are very fortunate to have you as our spiritual master. Many a time, we have observed that by the power of your eloquent expression of the message of Lord Krishna, people including the first time listeners become very attached to Lord Krishna.

On the auspicious day of your appearance, we pray Lord Krishna to bestow His mercy upon you, so that you will be able to lead many people in to the spiritual and devotional path and help them to perfect this human form of life.

tasmat gurum prapadyeta, jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabda pare cha nishnatam, brahmany upa-samasrayam

Hare Krishna

Very Sincerely Yours,
Narottama Das (Chakrapani Basavaraju)
Nagaratnam
Adilakshmi
Sridhar (Syamananda Das)

Gaithersburg, MD

 

Namah Om Visnu Padaya Krsna Presthaya Bhutale
Srimate Vedavyasa Priya Swamin Iti Namine

Namah Om Visnu Padaya Krishna Presthaya Bhuatle
Srimate Bir Krsna Das Goswamin Iti Namine

Namah Om Visnu Padaya Krishna Presthaya Bhutale
Srimate Bhaktivedanta Swamin Iti Namine

namaste sarasvate deve gaura-vani pracarine
nirvesesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances, all glories to His Divine Grace Jagad Guru Srila Prabhupada. All glories unto your divine grace. All glories to Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundarji.

“I offer my respectful obeisance’s unto the lotus of my spiritual master, who is an ocean of mercy, who is none other than Sri Hari himself in human form, whose words are sunbeams as it were, for dispersing darkness in the form of gross ignorance”

Certainly there is no one more worthy of glorification then you Gurudeva, especially on this most auspicious occasion of your appearance in this world. The Sastras enjoin you as the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. It is definitely worthwhile to take shelter of such an acarya who is called asraya-vigraha or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take shelter.

Gurudeva, thank you once again for you causeless mercy upon and my family. I am feeling tongue-tired while writing this offering and I cannot think of words to glorify you and your divine service to Srila Prabhupada. I am a fool and I take refuge at your lotus feet.

Gurudeva, I feel completely unable to glorify your exalted qualities. As it is not possible to describe all of Krsna’s virtues, so it is not possible to describe all the exalted qualities of the spiritual master. Even these words I say to glorify you come from your countless mercy only. Gurudeva, I do not know what to say and how to say on this day of your most merciful appearance, hence I present to you this little prayer of mine at your lotus feet.

Because of my contamination I have to face many challenges and difficulties in my service to you, but service to you is all I have and today beg at your lotus feet.
Life, but also life after life. Gurudeva, I know I have never been able to please you and have never come up to the expectations you wanted of me.

Gurudeva, I still remember those days when you used to come to Taveuni and the necatarian lectures you would give. I vividly remember the very first time you came you sang the Hanuman Bhajan and I was really charmed by it.

Gurudeva, it is only through you causeless mercy that I am able to taste just a drop of devotional service and serve their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Golokabihariji. I am keen to get Krishna Prema and I know that without your mercy I am no where.

I pray at your lotus feet today, on this merciful appearance of my Gurudeva that you grant me service to Vaisnavas, attachment to the holy name and bless me so that I can adhere to your divine instructions and become fully surrendered to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

I pray to Lord Nrshima Deva to always protect you and give you a long life of spreading this Krishna conscious movement to every town and village as predicted by Mahaprabhu.

This is my little prayer at your feet on your Vyasapuja.
Srila Bir Krishna Das Goswami Maharaj Gurudeva Sri Vyasapuja maha utsva ki jai.
Happy Vyasapuja Gurudeva.

Yours eternal insignificant servant,
Nila Madhava Das

Suva, Fiji

 

Dear Father,

Please accept my unworthy obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you dear father. All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

Happy Vyasapuja!

Aspiring to be your servant,
Niraj

Brisbane Australia

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

krsna krpa ki ananda murti
dinana karuna-nidhana
jnana-bhakti-prema tino prakasata
sri guru patita pavana

“O mind, just worship the lotus feet of the bonafide spiritual master. Sri Guru is the personification of the bliss inherent in Krishna’s causeless mercy, and he is therefore the abode of mercy for souls who are suffering in the material world. He is the revealer of transcendental knowledge, pure devotion, and divine love. Sri Guru is the savior of fallen conditioned souls.”

Happy Vyasa Puja, Gurudev!
Thank you for all your compassion, strength and guidance and for giving me a chance to serve your lotus feet after so many lifetimes!

Striving to be a better servant of yours,
Nitai-Karuna dd

Split, Croatia

Dear Gurudeva,

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

“In the revealed scriptures it is said that the spiritual master should be worshiped as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this order is being followed by the Lord’s pure devotees. Spiritual master is the Lord’s most intimate servant. Therefore let us pay our most humble respect to the lotus feet of our spiritual master.” Srila Prabhupada Science of Self-Realization

Srila Gurudeva, on this special occasion I want to thank Sri-Sri Radha-Krishna on the special mercy they have given to this soul, on one autumn evening by sending Their dear and intimate servant to give me the possibility to get out of this cause-effect ocean of birth and death. I am endlessly grateful to every given blessing and mercy to You Sri Gurudeva! I humbly pray for the possibility to render some service in any way, and though I am not yet a qualified devotee – I will do it with a maximum endeavor.

It is a special mercy to be learning from You Gurudeva. Let Your spiritual lamp shine for a long time on our – your servants’ skies, who try to fulfill our spiritual dharma. And let it always shine on our hearts and souls to keep us awake for Sri Krishna!

I am especially thankful for Your personality Gurudeva, your patience and devotion to every devotee, to serve and to help! This special verse from Bhagavad-Gita (5.18) has been inspiring me from the beginning:
“The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste).”

Thank you for your example of simplicity and humbleness in bhakti yoga.

All glories to You Gurudeva!

Your humble servant,
Nitya Gehini devi dasi

Belgrade, Serbia

My dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you and the most auspicious day of your appearance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

A few years ago I prayed to Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundara on the Hungarian farm to lead us in a direction where love can be manifested in our hearts, so that we can appreciate the real value of a devotee, love each other and learn to cooperate and serve together for the satisfaction of Srila Prabhupa and the Divine Couple.
I prayed in India to all Deities I saw, and to Srila Prabhupada to be so kind and show us the way we can be uplifted and give love when attacked and criticized, or how we can correct someone with love, without hurting him, how can we come to the platform of love and satisfy our spiritual masters. It seemed so far away from us, although we have been having faith that Krishna can do anything, anytime,
out of His sweet will.

And He did, in a most simple way. He sent you to Serbia next year to serve in a capacity of our GBC, spiritual guide and a person who will help us to solve our problems in order to be able to take up the process of bhakti-yoga more seriously.

You repeated whatever Srila Prabhupada told us will lead us to Krishna. You stressed the importance of concentrated chanting of maha-mantra, reading of the holy Bhagavatam regularly and all the philosophy we have been hearing for many years. You spoke about the six ways of loving exchanges between the devotees, which will change the whole world, told us how important it is to invite each other for prasadam and associate in a KC way, as it is the basis for building a healthy community of devotees.

You have been helping us by showing your personal example of a disciple entirely dedicated to his spiritual master’s instructions and mission. It is always very inspiring and enlivening to get up early and run to a mangala arotik knowing that you will be there. And you are always here for us. Whenever you are on the other side of a globe, or wherever you are, you are never far from us, since we can reach you through e-mail and you help us immediately by writing us back in a day or two.

You are so entirely dedicated to the welfare of us devotees, that your compassionate heart does not think of anything else, but how to help us to take the process seriously and transform our hearts and lives, to become that what we
are destined to be, the most fortunate and happiest persons in all the three worlds. In your seminars you teach us to laugh and be happy as we are the servants of the Lord, the most wonderful and mighty Person that exists.

You help us with your regression seminars to see and understand our mission in this life, to continue to overcome the obstacles we have easily, by seeing that what happens in our lives is another act in a drama of the material existence on which we should not focus, but focus our full attention on our spiritual practice and our goal.

You teach us in your Emphatic Communication seminars concrete techniques by which we can develop compassion, empathy and a nonviolent attitude towards other living entities and learn to correct others without hurting them and stay calm and compassionate when attacked, by coming in contact not only with the feelings and needs of others but also with our own feelings and needs. You teach us how to love ourselves in order to be able to love others.

You show us by your life, your work, by your example what real empathy and compassion mean and you open to us a whole world of loving exchanges.

You invest all your time, knowledge and energy, so much effort that the community of happy devotees who exchange love with each other and the whole humanity becomes reality.

You have been giving us many precious gifts which can help us attain perfection, but you also told us that you are here to help us to help ourselves. We have all your mercy and blessings, but we have to make our own effort in following instructions, serving you and your mission and attaining the perfection of life, love of Godhead and love of parts and parcels of the Lord.

I am blessed by being your disciple and pray at your lotus feet to please make a pure instrument of me for spreading your life’s mission – loving, serving and taking care of the devotees of the Lord and making a world of satisfied and happy
devotees all over our ISKCON, who happily cooperate for the satisfaction of Srila Prabhupada and Radha-Syamasundara.

Thank you Gurudeva. I wish you a long, healthy and happy life filled with love.

Your humble servant,
Paramesvari Radha devi dasi

Serbia

Dear Guruji,

All Glories-All Glories!

As one can readily see, I have a hard time following proper Vaisnava etiquette. A formal business letter I can write, but a letter with all the proper Vaisnave etiquette-I am not so sure. The thought of accidentally offending you or my god-brothers or god-sisters usually paralyzes me into inaction. Normally I chicken-out and do and say nothing, but this year I wanted to at least try. God knows how long any of us have left on this planet! With that in mind, I thought it better to at least send something even if that something is written imperfectly, so please overlook my faults and mistake.

First of all, may the sharing of this significant day with you and all your well-wishers, friends and devotees be a joyous and memorable occasion. There is nothing like a spiritual family reunion and celebrating a holiday together. Makes me wish I were there.

Second, if I have ever offended you or anyone around you, please forgive me. I am truly sorry for what I have done or said, and I promise-if given another chance-to do better in the future.

Third, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your service and to thank you for your sacrifice. I am certain-it is not easy doing all you do.

Fourth, I am in your debt. Your offering to the world, New Goloka, made it possible for me to learn about and hear about Radha and Krishna . This transcendental facility of New Goloka gave me and many others opportunities for worship, for service and for association. I do not take this fact lightly. I am in your debt.

Fifth, I wanted to thank you for taking me with you to India on Pilgrimage. You made access to the holy land easier for me.

Lastly, I remember having had many glimpses of Eternity while in your association, or while at New Goloka. What more can I say? But…

May You Have a Happy Appearance Day,
Parasurama

Athens, Ga. USA

 

Dear Bir Krishna das Goswami,

Hare Krishna! Many happy returns of your birthday! I thank you for your prayings, your kind words and your answers concerning my questions about Krishna consciousness. I greatly appreciate them. They have helped my family and me very much.

I hope this reach you in good health.

With my best regards,
Pirjo Puukari

Finland

 

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I cannot express the gratitude I have for your patience with me on my journey in Krishna consciousness. I stumble and fall many times, but you are always there with positive words to pick me up and set me back on the path again. My only wish is that one day I will be able to render service to you.

Your aspiring disciple,
Polly

Clemmons, N.C. USA

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our obeisances on this most auspicious day of your appearance.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

As we sat here talking about our Vyasa puja offerings for this year, we started by writing down in point form all the things we appreciated that you have been doing. We came up with quite a list and going over it, we realized just how much you’re doing to help the devotees in their individual quests to maintain and increase their Krishna consciousness.

You’ve given us the Holy Names and we hear your classes on the Srimad Bhagavatam, but still you realize we need more, and out of your causeless mercy, you go out of your way to learn more and more ways to help the devotees in their lives.

We started by talking about the blog. What an incredible insight into the mind of a pure devotee! Every new entry was like walking into the most compassionate atmosphere imaginable. We looked forward to reading the blog every day, and would be on the phone to each other as soon as we found a new entry posted. We had some amazing realizations from reading the blog, but the most outstanding realization was that we have such a long way to go before we can even consider ourselves aspiring devotees.

We marveled at the communication seminars you posted on your website, helping us to communicate with each other and other devotees more effectively. We were enthralled at hearing about how you are using laugh yoga sessions, anger management classes and regression to bring conditioned souls like us closer to Krishna.

And just so that you will be there for us for many years into the future, you change to an even more austere diet. You praise whatever good qualities we possess to encourage us and gently point out our faults. You constantly teach us how to become better people and devotees. You teach us about the importance of goals and provide us with guidance on how to raise our children. And you do all of this in a humorous way. We forever seek your company and may you guide us for many years to come.

We’ve been through a huge paradigm shift over the last year, starting a family and trying to raise our little boy nicely while trying to progress in Krishna consciousness. You have been there every step of the way, from the safe delivery ceremony (was there a component of easy delivery in there too?) to naming him, the first grains ceremony, and more recently, his first taste of mango. Thank you for supporting us as parents and for being there to guide us.

Thank you for accepting us despite all our faults and for everything you do to help us in our Krishna consciousness.

Your aspiring servants,
Prananatha das, Gandharvika devi dasi and Little Gokul

Australia

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you!

My glorious spiritual master, your appearance day is the opportunity for us, your disciples, to glorify you and to look into our own hearts to see how deep is our attachment for serving you and pleasing you and how to increase it in the coming year. It is the time of an internal inventory and recommitment to our service to you.

You are always absorbed in your service to Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON society. This is your life and soul, to bring more souls under the shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s society and especially to care for all the devotees in the society. While helping them, you do not make the distinction between your own disciples and disciples of other gurus, for you feel intimately connected to all the devotees in Srila Prabhupada’s family and you equally care for all of them.

Because of your intense compassion for others you are looking for newer and newer ways to attract new people and to help the devotees grow and mature in spiritual life. And while personally helping others, you are incredibly soft and forgiving, so tolerant and so encouraging at every little step that one makes.

Although you live here among us, you are not actually living in this world. You are constantly absorbed in your relationship with Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya and Krishna and you are only thinking of how to serve Them and please Them. Because of that you do not actually live in the material realm, but in the realm of eternal spiritual existence. You have been serving Srila Prabhupada before, and you will continue to serve him forever. It is our great fortune that you have come here to give your association to us in this lifetime and guide us in Krishna consciousness. Whenever the material world shows its ugly face to me I meditate on you and on your existence beyond this world and this gives me great shelter and solace.

I am so indebted to you that I will probably never be able to pay back for all that you have done for me, both spiritually and materially, for you are helping me as a most caring spiritual master and affectionate father, patiently tolerating my faults and weaknesses. You have certainly won my heart and instilled it with desire to serve you no matter what. You have helped me to heal and to grow and you are continually encouraging me to become compassionate and selfless and to help others.

On this occasion I beg your forgiveness for all the mistakes and offences I might have even unknowingly committed while trying to serve you. And I beg you to please allow me to continue to serve you to the best of my ability. This is my greatest treasure – service for you. My relationship with you is based on this service and without it I would be lost.

I also beg for your blessings to serve you by helping others grow.
Please keep me in your shelter always.

Your thankful servant,
Prema manjari dasi

New Goloka, USA

 

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

My dear Srila Gurudeva!

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet! All glories
to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you and your transcendental activities,
which show us the way!

I remember how I met you. It was another afternoon in summer and I was
going to my training. On the way I met my mother and because I was in a hurry
she just said to me: Bir Krishna Maharaj wants to talk to you! At first I didn’t
understand and I just said OK and went. But it was on my mind the whole
afternoon, so when I came home, my mother told me the whole story.

It’s really interesting how you gave me a name before even talking to me and in
that moment I knew you are my spiritual father. That was just confirmed the next day when I came to the temple. I was feeling so joyful and happy talking to you.
Before Krishna brought you into my life I was searching. I don’t know for what.
All I know is that it stopped with your arrival. You were born in this material
world with a mission to save many souls. I am so happy that I am one of those
who got mercy from your preaching.

Your words and your being there for all of us is so inspirational. It gives me
more power than anything other to continue.

You are my inspiration!
Happy appearance day!

Your servant and daughter,
Prithi dasi

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to you, all glories to Srila Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaj, and all glories to Srila Prabhupad.

Yearly as this opportunity of celebrating your divine manifestation comes, it brings in the opportunity to glorify you and remember the disciplic succession. This is indeed auspicious. As I am impoverished in spiritual and material possessions, it is obvious that I have nothing to lean on, now and in my future lives. But remembering you today and the other acaryas, both on the planet and elsewhere, in their eternal service to the Lord, only adds to my hope.

As you travel around the world taking on more and more service from Srila Prabhupad, without even blinking for a second, I can only understand even more, your exemplary acts in service to the spiritual master and pray that I should someday wake up to the realization of your eternal teachings and practice.

Gurudev, I have neither diamonds nor gold, which of course you do not need. Neither do I have the strength and conviction in the message that you represent and are sharing all over the planet. But where can I turn to for kripa, other than your divine grace, who is kripa sindhu? I therefore beg for that mercy, which you are the reservoir of, in order to be able to carry out your instructions. Otherwise this life again, will be another useless one.

May my memory of the celebration of your divine appearance and participation in, be eternally engraved in my stone like heart. Life after life, may I live to spread your glories, teachings, and follow the path, which you live and enunciates. Only this will free me of all anarthas.

Aspiring to be servant of your servants,
Prithu das

New Orleans, La.

Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

I believe that Krishna must have sent you to all of us. You are our best friend and well-wisher, and
one of the most unique persons in this universe. You are the one with whom we always want to speak when we have some problem, or about other things are going on in our lives. You are our most dear spiritual master.

And we always want to do some service to Gurudeva to get his mercy. With the mercy of Gurudeva we can very quickly make some progress in Krishna consciousness, therefore it is very important that we daily perform some service to Srila Gurudeva. So my service I offer to Gurudeva and Krishna, and when I look around at what I have, it can only be for the use in Krishna’s service. This makes me happy and satisfied. But I also hope that Gurudeva will forgive the many mistakes I am making as I try to obtain good qualities.

Please let me take the dust from your lotus feet. You are my beloved Spiritual Master.

Your servant,
Pundarika das

DK

Dear Shrila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you and your Vyasa Puja!

To your auspicious Vyasa Puja day I wanted to thank you very deeply for
everything.
Thank you very much for your blessings and good wishes all the time.
Thank you very much for your protection and guidance.
Thank you very much for your time and care about me.
Thank you very much that I could come to Vrindavan and do this wonderful
service there.
Thank you very much for the Holy Name and Shrila Prabhupad!
Thank you very much that you have given me life and happiness.

Your aspiring servant,
Radha Madhava dasa

Vrindavan, India

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Hare Krsna! Please accept my humblest obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I am very happy to celebrate this auspicious day with you! Vyasa Puja is a great blessing because it reminds us of the grace and mercy you have kindly bestowed upon us. But more than that, your advent and association is also a reminder that Krishna loves us and has planned great things for us.

You and I have journeyed together for some time now, having first met during my seminary days. It has been a somewhat long and circuitous route for me, but I am grateful nevertheless. When Dr. Braswell gave me your book I was immediately impressed with it. Here was a person, I thought, who I could listen to, someone who was getting the results I was looking for. But more importantly, someone who was able and willing to walk the spiritual path with me.

But as you know, I am a little cautious and a little skeptical. It took some time for me to digest it all and to grow. Yet you remained ever patient, ever kind, ever caring, and ever loving. Who wouldn’t be attracted to that? And that’s what won the day for me: I realized that you were my best friend and you always had had my best interests in mind, both temporally and eternally.

In the process I continued seminary, but now with a different perspective: All that I read, all that I did had a different foundation or strength to it. I realized an entirely different perspective to spiritual life that I had never known before. That’s when I began to realize that this was the path for me. I couldn’t shake the thought that what you represented was absolute truth. Not just circumstantial truth, but eternal truth. And in the interim I read the books, I visited the temple, I ate the prasadam, and I made friends with the devotees. But best of all I met a genuine acharya who could put it all together for me. That’s what I am learning from you, that is why I can honestly say you are my spiritual master, and that is why my goal is to follow in your footsteps. You represent for me the goal in spiritual life. And isn’t that what Krishna promises? If we want help He will help us and lead us to the goal! And in my case He led me to you. I could not see that at first; it has taken quite some time for me to realize Krishna’s compassion. But that’s the glory of the spiritual master also. If someone is genuine, then Krishna will help. And the opposite is also true: If someone wants to be cheated, Krishna can arrange that too. But in my case I was sincerely looking and He led me to you to lead me to Him.

That is the great blessing of the spiritual master, and thankfully I can say on this Vyasa Puja day how grateful I am that you are my spiritual master! It is a great blessing and a great relief! And that is why I now pray that I can continue in your association and in your service.

Your Humble Servant,
Ramachandra dasa

 

Hare Krishna

Dear Sri Sri Sri His Divine Grace, Tridandi Goswami Srila Bir Krishna Maharaj:

All glories to Sri Radha-Golokananda, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

I offer my respectful obeisances to my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

I am pleased to submit this offering as a token of appreciation on your holy appearance day for your dedicated service to Lord Radha-Golokananda and for your spiritual guidance to me and my family members here and in India. Please accept our respectful obeisances. Recently you and disciplines met my brothers and other family members in Mangalagiri in India and engaged them in developing love of Lord Krishna. They received great benefit by meeting you and serving you at least for a short time in spite of your hectic and very busy schedule. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanya and delivering people all over the world from the darkness of ignorance. We are very grateful for your excellent service to Lord Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani.

We are able to advance spiritually by your divine wisdom and guidance. Your explanations of the complex Vedic literature and Krishna philosophy continue to help us in advancing in Krishna consciousness. You have undertaken the unique mission of spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. As commissioner of the ISKCON Governing Board, you have taken up numerous projects in many countries to help people chant the holy name of the Lord Sri Krishna and receive unlimited mercy of Sri Krishna. You undergo many austerities in propagating Krishna consciousness. Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, you are always happy to help deliver people from the bondage of Kali yuga. I offer my obeisances to the lotus feet of my spiritual master, Srila Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

We applaud your service to Lord Radha-Golokananda and your guidance to your disciples. By your mercy, we are able to progress spiritually. Your service to the whole world is evidenced by your frequent trips to India, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Mexico, and other countries. You are a great leader in the ISKCON movement and helping the whole world to advance in Krishna consciousness. Your have set high standards for worshipping Lord Sri Krishna. You have provided guidance to several Krishna temples in many countries. I applaud your accomplishments to the great ISKCON movement, which is the only hope for liberation of the fallen souls in this material world.

 

 

We are greatly benefited by your association, discourses, and melodious bhajans. Your kind words have been a source of strength and inspiration and leading us towards the path of devotion and trust in Lord Sri Krishna.

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasti eva gatir anyatha

In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.

Therefore, we must chant the following Mahamantra, recommended in the Brahmanda Purana, Agni Purana, and Kalisantarana Upanisad.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

We commend you for your efforts in spreading the message of Lord Sri Krishna. May Lord Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani shower their mercy and support your mission of spreading the Hari Nama sankirtan in this world. We offer our respectful congratulations, best wishes, and obeisances to you on this happy occasion of your appearance day and we all wish you happiness, good health, and spiritual enlightenment.

Your disciples and humble servants,
Ramanuja das (Sekhara Rao Basavaraju) and Suvarna Latha Basavaraju and family

Greensboro, North Carolina

 

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my most respectful obeisances. All glories to you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

So very many things have changed in my life since I first came to New Goloka in 1995. Recently I was thinking though that amazingly my relationship with you has not. It has not changed in the sense that you are still the same kind, extremely merciful, deeply caring, helpful, funny father who took such personal care of me even though I have “grown up,” gotten married, and “moved out of the house.” Sometimes it seems that I am so far away from you and Krishna, but you are always there for me. It is simply up to me to be always with you.

Another thing that strikes me as wonderful is how much you have seemed to change. In order to serve Srila Prabhupada, you are willing to be so flexible. You are not attached to any rituals or any particular way of doing things. You are simply attached to spreading Srila Prabhupada’s movement. I am so impressed and awed by how you understand people and are able to quickly analyze their needs.

I wish I could reciprocate with you for all you do for us. I know that the way to attempt to repay the debt to the spiritual master is to dedicate one’s very existence to carrying out his mission. I feel that I spend so much time engaged otherwise, and I long for the opportunity to dedicate my time to assisting you in Srila Prabhupada’s service. Thank you for continually giving me some service to help me remember that goal.

Your daughter and aspiring servant,
Rangadevi dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

Dearest Gurudev,

On this very auspicious day of your appearance please accept my lowermost obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Your Divine Grace!

You have wholly given your life over to servicing Srila Prabhupada who took us into Lord Caitanya’s teachings of love and compassion. Rising far before the sun and birds, you travel through the countries and towns, from one continent to the other without turning a hair, you chant and tell about Krishna, thus spreading Srila Prabhupada’s mission and making our hearts melt down.

The mercy you are bestowing upon us by giving your association and instructing us hardly can be appreciated in full under the influence of the modes of material nature. Still, it showers us with the flowery downfalls, no matter whether our consciousness is pure or not.

I am really so fortunate to be a receiver of your mercy since you had agreed to become the Spiritual Master of mine, thus charging yourself with another huge load. I experience your constant care and attention even being physically far away. In fact, when praising me, even though there are no grounds for that, you enliven and backup me. When you are stern to me, you show your special mercy and I am full of goodwill to change myself and give a thought to my actions.

More and more your divine qualities inspire us to follow in your steps,
as we did it when circumambulating Govardhana hill. I wish I would
become a devout servant of the Spiritual Master just as you are to Srila
Prabhupada.

Aspiring to become your servant,
Rangini dasi

 

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

Please accept my humble obeisance at your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.

I am so fortunate, because I have the guide and master as Your Divine Grace. It is said in Srimad Bhagavatam;

tulayama levenapi
na svargam napunar-bhavam
bhagavat-sangi-sangasya
martyanam kim utasisah

The value of a moment’s association with the devotee of the LORD cannot even be compared to the attainment of heavenly planets of liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benediction in the form of material prosperity, which are for those who are meant for death.

When there are similar points, it is possible to compare one thing to another. One cannot compare the association of a pure devotee to anything material. At present time the influence of Kali is becoming more and more powerful. So the afflicted conditioned souls are in need of association with great saintly souls like Your Divine Grace.

Srila Gurudeva, how can I glorify YOU with my low intelligence and high ego? Please mould me as you wish and forgive my struggle to resist you. My only hope is Your Mercy to become attached to Krishna’s name and remain at Your Lotus Feet. I am eternally indebted to you. I can pass your test only as a person with no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. So I beg you to permit me to serve you wherever you are.

I beg to remain your servant,
Rasanatha dasa

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you.

This year we have been blessed with our baby son-Lakshman and this has challenged our patience, made us survive without much rest and still we love him so much because he is our son and needs us. What does all this have to do with our offering to you this year? Just like a tolerant parent, a tolerant spiritual master undergoes austerities which he or she may not want to undergo just so that their children/disciples can go and flourish in their spiritual lives.

It must not be easy to be a spiritual master with a lot of disciples to take care of and yet year after year you keep helping your disciples and nourishing them with your guidance, at least the ones who reach out to you. It is harder to help those who are not reaching out, who are more or less lost in this world, struggling to survive, struggling to remember Krishna and who fail to cherish the regulated lifestyle of Krishna consciousness. It is very easy to fall back to ones “old life” if one is not careful with their practice, these material pushing’s are very strong and we easily loose touch with our original position as the eternal servant of the servant of the servant. It is hard to reach out for help especially if one doesn’t even realize that their spiritual life is in danger or stagnant, this is where we need guidance, that there is a person who cares enough to point out honestly what is wrong, why are we suffering, how to get back on track with our practice. This person who helps is everyone’s true well-wisher, who has enough compassion for fallen conditioned souls, even the ones who are not new in Krishna consciousness, the ones who are struggling to maintain their practice, this is the person who we praise and show all respects. Thank you for all your help.

Your servants,
Rasikananda das and Krsangi devi dasi

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

My Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisance’s. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Srila Gurudev.

I thank Lord Sri Krishna for giving me the chance to glorify His pure
devotee. Before glorifying my spiritual father, I would like to glorify my Guru Maharaja’s spiritual father His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, for giving me shelter in his son’s
lotus feet.

Gurudev, I have no words to express your qualities. You are so humble, caring and loving to all the devotees. You are the potency of all your children, so please for us eat well, we really get scared when we think of your diet. I pray to RadhaGolaka Bihari that please give more strength and long healthy life to my Gurudev so that he can keep on preaching and spreading the love for Krishna
Bhakti and fulfill the mission of his Spiritual Master.

Please bless me on this auspicious day to remain on your lotus feet forever.
A very happyVyasa Puja to my Guru Maharaj.

Yours servant,
Rati Manjari Devi Dasi

Suva, Fiji

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

nama on visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

Hare Krsna Gurudev,

All glories to you and Srila Praphupada. Please accept my dandavat pranam at your lotus feet. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to glorify you at this auspicious Vyas puja day of yours. Although there are unlimited words to glorify you, please accept my little offering to you.

Thank you Gurudev for accepting me your disciple, even though I am not worthy to be your disciple. Despite being not fortunate enough to be near you physically, you are always present in your instructions and advice as you say. Therefore, kneeling down and praying at your lotus feet, this useless soul pleads for your causeless mercy to endeavour and be able to obey your instructions and advice with full devotion and sincerity.

Thank you for showering your mercy always for our material eyes cannot see that but I know you are always there whenever we need you.

I hope and pray that you will be healthy and blissful forever and may you succeed in Srila Praphupada’s mission.

Looking forward to taking your darshan soon.

Happy Vyas Puja Day!

Trying to be your servant,
Ratnalekha devi dasi.
Kirtida devi dasi

Wellington

 

 

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaja,

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to this auspicious day that has brought a Vaishnava like you to this world. Now, even conditioned souls like me have hope again!

I feel very grateful to you for a number of reasons.

I think the most important reason is that your Bhagavatam classes are always so spiritually enlivening. I love how you use humor to make devotees laugh and I love how you are still able to expertly establish esoteric Vaishnava siddhanta. I personally always look forward to your classes. I usually end up laughing very hard for almost the entire class!

I also feel grateful for your Sunday feast lectures and festival presentations. I am in such awe of your expert use of power-point presentations. I particularly appreciate the ones on Faith and Anger management, and the one on Srimati Radharani is my absolute favorite! Upon your recommendation, I even watched the ones on Empathic Communication. I have learned so much.

Recently, on Labor day 2007, I had my first darshan with you, and I was very touched by your compassion for me. I am grateful that you have been very accepting. I am grateful that you are encouraging me to take shelter of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

I thank you for your blessings and your mercy upon me.

Sincerely,
Rukmini

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to Srila Gurudeva.

It is always a joy and great pleasure to glorify your transcendental personality.

Your profound determination and extremely sincere and honest service to our beloved Srila Prabhupada is very admirable. You have imbibed the mood of Srila Prabhupada and travel extensively to save the fallen souls and provide inspiration to many of us. Your frequent visits to Fiji Islands are indeed a great mercy for all of us.

You continue to tolerate our offences and give us unconditional love. Your seminar on empathic communication was an excellent eye-opener. It was an important reminder for us that empathic communication is an important Vaisnav principle. Your presentation, which is always full of humor and use of technology, was indeed very professional.

Thank you very much for taking us to a very successful South India trip. Thank you for organizing the trip and taking us to so many important holy sites. Your presence during the yatra made the journey so smooth and satisfying. You guided us very expertly and took so much care of us. You were not worried about your own prasadam but always made sure we were adequately fed. Your utmost concern for all of us was an indication of your great love for us. It was one of the most exciting moments of my spiritual life.

My lord and master you are always introducing new ideas and means of serving Srila Prabhupada and inspiring us. Your deep realization expressed via your blogs is a testimony of your exalted position. I have learnt so many things by readings your blogs and am able to reflect my own little devotion and will try to improve accordingly.

When I was just beginning to acquire some of your healthy ways of eating, you have reached a much higher platform. You are a true acarya. By your examples you are teaching us many different aspects of devotional service.

I thank you for being a savior and wish you a very happy Vyaspooja and long life.

Hare Krsna
Your insignificant servant,
Rupanuga das

Fiji Islands

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate tamal krsna goswamin iti namine

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your divine lotus feet.
On this most auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja your disciples and well wishers try to praise your extraordinary activities, but we all know that your glories are so magnanimous that it cannot be accredited with our simple words.

My lord and master please bless me so that I can assist you to fulfil Srila Prabhupada’s mission.

You have given us so many instructions but we have seldom followed any staunchly, please empower us to always be determined in discharging these.
May Krishna bless you with long life and best of health.

Your eternal servant,
Sanatana Dasa

Suva, Fiji Islands

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances on this auspicious occasion of your appearance.

I feel so fortunate to be able to celebrate your appearance along with your loving disciples who have become my spiritual family.

In this world that is full of danger and duplicity how have I become so fortunate to have you in my life? I have gotten to spend so many years in your loving
association in North Carolina. When I first met you I was just a young school girl. I think fondly upon the times you helped me, my sister, and friends to play
tricks on our teacher in gurukula. I remember when you made us trail mix to encourage us to go on sankirtana during the Christmas marathons. Those
years of service in your association have grounded me in my Krishna consciousness.

I strive to always stay in your association through service Srila Gurudeva. May I delve deeper into the books of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Every day
may I become more determined.

Thank you Srila Gurudeva for you unfaltering faith, and spiritual guidance.

Your daughter and disciple,
Sankirtana dasi

Boston, MA USA

 

 

Dearest Gurudev,

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Each year it is amazing how you are able to change and grow and adapt and still maintain the same staunch adherence to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. Your devotion for our dear Srila Prabhupada, and for his teachings, is so attractive and inspiring, and really helps me to become closer to him as well.

Thank you for giving us your association. Please pray that I may continue to serve you life after life and thank you for the opportunity to try and do some service in this lifetime Srila Gurudev.

Happy Appearance Day!

Your servant,
Saranam dasi

 

 

Dear Srila Bir Krishna Maharaja,

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

Please accept our humble obeisance at the dust of your lotus feet. As Krishna continuously gives us more opportunities to have your association, you have shown how much you care for me and my family. When I was very sick, you were upset and cared for my spiritual welfare. So showing how merciful you are, you left six or seven messages on my answering machine. Also, you came to visit me at the hospital, giving me moral support and courage. New Goloka Vaishnavas and your merciful prayers brought me back stronger spiritually. Your actions are manifestations of your complete and uninterrupted devotion and dedication to Srila Prabhupada and to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

We are beginning to see more and more how all of your interactions with others reflect your profound, uncompromising, and unconditional compassion. Just seeing how much interest you take in the spiritual lives of each and every devotee shows how you simply want to bring every living entity back to the Lotus Feet of Lord Sri Krishna. I certainly don’t qualify to glorify your unlimited good qualities, but I wanted to acknowledge your great devotion.

We look forward to many more Vyas Pujas and will continue to keep ourselves under your shelter and guidance.

Your Humble Servants,
Satyavrat Dasa,
Krishna Kumari Devi Dasi,
& Family

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my sincere dandavat from my heart to your lotus feet. All glories to our wonderful parampara. On this auspicious day I have this offering just to worship you, remembering your lotus feet, and remind you that I’m always able for your sake to leave even my family, what speak of others, I want really give to you my whole heart and soul. I’m not a learned person, whatever I have, I have received by your special mercy and the Vaisnavas.
I feel so fortunate by your mercy, but please give me the strength to carry on your and Srila Prabhupada’s mission, because I’m destitute, and I’m not qualified, it is so hard!!!!!!!!
In these almost 9 years I’ve spent in Thailand I have seen miracles, one after one, because of you, it is so clear, so bless me to do Hari kirtan and preaching till I leave this material body. I pray that my Lord Sri Krsna and Srimati Radharani, protect you from envious.

Acaryam mam vijaniyam navanmanyeta karhicit
na martya -buddyasuyeta sarva deva mayo guru

Your servant of servant,
Srivasa takhura dasa

ISKCON Thailand

 

om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

namah om vishnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

Dearest Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories
to your unlimited mercy on the fallen conditioned souls in this age of Kali.

On this occasion of your Vyasa puja, I remember you and your pastimes
in Fiji during your yatra since the year 2002 when I first met you. It was
very fortunate for me to talk with you and be in association with you.

Gurudev, you are the great servant of Lord Krsna. Each day starts with
mangala arati when we sing the Guruvastaka prayer composed by Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakura. A great devotee tells the importance of this beautiful
prayer that one who, with great care and attention loudly recites this beautiful prayer to the spiritual master during the brahma muhurta obtains direct service to Krsna at the time of his death. Gurudev, I am so fortunate to be your disciple and follow the spiritual path which is given by you.

Gurudev, the association in which you have given us in hearing Krsna katha,
Srimad Bhagavatam class & kirtans has benefited me to learn so many things
and preach to others.

krpa bindu diya koro ei dase trna pekha ati hina
sakala sahane bala diya koro nija mane sprha hina

O Gurudev! by a drop of your mercy make this servant of yours more humble
than a blade of grass. Give me strength to hear all trials and troubles.

Gurudev, we pray to Srimati Radharani to bless you with good health and
safety. May Lord Krsna and Srila Prabhupada bless you in the success of
making the whole world Krsna conscious. Hear a lot from you.

JAY GURUDEV! JAY GURUDEV! JAY GURUDEV!

Your humble servant,
Sudama Das

Labasa Fiji

 

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

Dearest Gurudev,

Please accept our humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet.

On this auspicious occasion of your Vyase puja we remember you with all our
heart. You have saved us from this miserable world of illusion. We have taken shelter of your lotus feet. Because we are clinging to your lotus feet, we don’t worry about the miserable conditions of this material world.

You have shown us the path to the spiritual world. You have showered your
causeless mercy on such fallen souls like us. We are really thankful that you have accepted us as your disciples.

We love to hear you chanting the holy names of Krsna. You have always given
us your association in relishing Krsna katha and chanting of the holy names. You made our lives Krsna conscious.

On this day we pray to Srimati Radharani to bless you with good health and
long, long life. We pray to dear Srila Prabhupada for his blessings upon you.

Jay Gurudev! Jay Gurudev! Jay Gurudev!

Your most fallen servants,
Sundari D Dasi
Shyama Manjari D Dasi

Labasa Fiji

 

 

My dear father,

Please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!

On this most auspicious day of your Vyasa puja with sadness I must admit that I have nothing to offer you. I will just try to simply tell what I feel for you.

If there is any reason for which I feel worthy and that I belong, then it’s only due to your unconditioned and unmotivated care.

If there is any reason for which I feel happiness in serving Vaisnavas, then it’s only due to your mercy.

If there is any reason for which Krishna accepts my half-hearted attempt to serve Him, then it’s only due to your prayers.

Your unconditioned love for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna sends lightness into my life because by being your disciple I know that there is also hope for me.

This year I can maybe offer only words but I am sure that one day I will be able to offer my heart to you.
Having this in mind is the greatest force that keeps me on the spiritual path.

I beg you to keep me always under the shelter of your lotus feet.

Your insignificant daughter and eternal servant,
Syama Sakhi devi dasi

Sarajevo, BiH

 

Dear Gurudev,

First of all, I wish you happy birthday.
I am very happy to see that health is serving you well and to see you’re doing fine.
Thank You for giving me the chance to spend one more year with You and to listen to Your instructions.
Thank You for being merciful to this fallen soul and for giving me harinam initiation, although i did not deserve it.
Thank You for coming to Split and for purifying the city with Your presence.
Thank You for those moments spent with You, which filled me with enthusiasm.
Thank You for letting me serve You and thereby serve You and advance spiritually.
Thank You for wonderful classes.
Thank You for helping me realize i’m not alone.
There is so many things i need to thank You for. This is only one percent of all that.

Your eternal servant,
Trivikrama das

Split, Croatia

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances at your lotus feet on this most auspicious day of your appearance. All glories to your divine grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Happy Appearance Day to you
Happy Appearance Day to you
I belong in a zoo
I smell like a monkey
and I act like one too!

Happy Appearance Day to you
Happy Appearance Day to you
Souls like you are so few
You have hold of the key
And give it to all too!

Happy Appearance Day to you
Happy Appearance Day to you
We are singing the blues
Prabhupada came to set us free
In his footsteps you are too!

Happy Appearance Day to you
Happy Appearance Day to you
We no longer sing the blues
You’ve helped us to see
And so we must help too!

Happy Appearance Day to you
Happy Appearance Day to you
Krishna cowherd boy blue
Golden Radha gopi
We will find you there too!

Happy Appearance Day to you
Happy Appearance Day to you
Get me out of this zoo
I smell like a monkey
And I act like one too!

Happy Appearance Day to you
Happy Appearance Day to you

Thank you for all have done for myself and others, and continue to do.
Your servant,
mother Tulasi
New Goloka N.C. USA

 

To My Dearest Father,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Gurudeva Tamal Krishna & Gurudeva Bir Krishna.

Every year when I receive from the temple the Vyasa -Puja book for your spiritual master, I turn the pages quickly to read your offering to Srila Prabhupada.

You have the qualities of empathy & compassion towards others. This is a true gift that Sri Sri Radha Krishna & Srila Prabhupada has given to Their very dear servant.

My realization of the pilgrimage this year to India was that us aspiring devotees need to practice more of what we learn, humility, respect & patience to each other. Traveling down South in the path Lord Chaitanya traveled, it relished my soul. Only if we where with him 500 yrs ago doing the pilgrimage.

Gurudeva, you nurtured us spiritually, physically & mentally. You really wanted us to experience Lord Chaitanya’s pilgrimage. You gave us so much knowledge of the places we visited. I don’t know how you had the patience to look after all of us. What a big responsibility. Only a pure devotee could have done that.

Thank you for supporting me spiritually & emotionally during the year.

Your Daughter,
Tulasi Devi Dasi

Australia

 

 

My Dearmost Gurumaharaja;

Please accept my obeisances over and over again at your lotus feet. All glories to your extraordinary service as well as your extraordinary ability to continue to follow in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada. Please accept this offering on the glorious occasion of your appearance in this world.

Yet, I, who work with words, on this auspicious day, am wordless;
And the meager service that I have rendered to you is worthless.
Still, I thank Krishna that you encourage me both with words and wordless
For, on my own, all attempts at spiritual practices were worthless.

So, on this date, I want to celebrate your remarkable mercifulness.

But, on such an important day as this, I cannot remain wordless,
For I know that my life prior to meeting you was worthless.
You have set for us so many Vaisnava examples, many wordless
(arriving without failure every morning )
And your teachings show that “chewing the chewed” is worthless.

Your ability to preach to others is boundless.

And now, with your recent interest in communication, both spoken and wordless,
Showing that violent forms of communication are worthless,
You have demonstrated your genius for merging ideas both the worded and wordless
(combining the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and those of Marshall Rosenberg)
while weeding out those teachings of others that are worthless.

On this glorious day, I wish to express my gratefulness
To be part of your preaching in this way, which can cure the world of its hatefulness.

Your useless servant (still endeavoring to serve you),
Tungavidya devi dasi

New Goloka, USA

 

 

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada
Todas las glorias a Srila Bir Krisna Dasa Goswami

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Ofresco mis respetuosas reverencias a Bir Krisna Dasa Goswami el es como un cisne muy querido a Srila Prabhupad devido a que esta prestando su mensaje con gran determinacion pureza y fe.

Gurudeva: en este día tan especial quiero glorificar a Sr. Krsna, a Srila Prabhupad y en especial a usted, es lo mejor que ha pasado en mi vida.

Gurudev hace tres años que no lo he visto y siento mucho la separación, pero saber que usted esta siempre sirviendo a Prabhupad me da fuerza para seguir mi vida, me fortalece saber que pronto lo veré para servirlo. Usted ha iluminado mi vida con su conocimiento por favor déme su misericordia y acépteme como su sirviente.

Con sinceridad espero que disfrute este día tan glorioso de su viasapuja en compañía de sus discípulos, estos son los mas sinceros deseos de la ultima de sus sirvientes.

Urmila Devi Dasi

Mexico

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami. All glories to your devotional service.

The more I pursue my education and embark on my career, the more I value
you and my spiritual practices. I find that I can do the work I do because of your blessings and by Krsna’s mercy. In that spirit I attended a japa retreat, which opened up many realizations for me. In particular I began to more fully appreciate this wonderful gift of the holy name, especially your daily practice of giving full attention to the chanting of japa. The reality is that only a small percentage of devotees fully appreciate this valuable gift and are experiencing the nectar for which we are always anxious.

Some people never get this taste, some do so after many years, but you have
been experiencing it for many, many years and have quietly gone on in full
view modeling for everyone what it takes to experience this wonderful nectar.
Thank you for always being here for us, for showing us through steadfast
determination what is really important for us to understand.

Please bless me that I will always remain in the association of the Vaisnavas and to one day be able to chant the holy names of Hari with full attention and purity.

Your fallen daughter,
Uttara devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to this most auspicious day of your Vyasa puja.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your kindness and compassion. Thank you for your warmth and personalism, it always reminds me that we are all one family, ISKCON family.

Your compassion is reflected in seeing your need to help devotees in their personal lives to make us work on our own anarthas and trying to understand others (empathy) in order to help them and ourselves to be better aspiring devotees (Empathic communication seminars.) Also in your classes and by your own example you bring out all these points that we must learn in order to advance in Krishna consciousness – humility, compassion, sharing Krishna consciousness with everyone. Your humor is so nice and funny because it makes me feel safe and happy in Krishna consciousness – it is fun to be in Krishna consciousness. By your unique diet you are teaching us and always reminding us to look after our health so that we can live longer and healthier lives in order to serve Srila Prabhupada in fulfilling Lord Caitanya’s prophecy.

Thank you for understanding me and for helping me in both my spiritual and material life.

I pray that I can always serve you in some way in your mission to serve Srila Prabhupada.

Please accept my humble obeisances,
Trying to be your worthy daughter,
Your insignificant daughter and servant,
Vaisnavi dd

Auckland, New Zealand

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my worthless obeisances at Your Lotus Feet! All glories to You Srila Gurudeva! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Extremely happy birthday to You, Srila Gurudeva!!! When years go by you just become amazingly more and more youthful and joyful. The spiritual knowledge you impart to the others is deep as the ocean. Everyone is naturally eager to stay young, to be happy and to become wise. But because we are falsely identifying ourselves to these temporary bodies we are in the opposite position unhappy and ignorant. Still simply by coming in contact with you, dear Gurudeva, anyone may have instant experience of one’s true transcendental nature. You are spreading the spiritual revolution of Krishna consciousness so effectively, that the prophecy of Golden Age will become true very soon. It is a great honor and privilege to be on the planet Earth same time with such a Mahatma as you are, dear Gurudeva!

Your servants,
Venu Gopala Das &
Jaakko Auruksenaho

Järvenpää, Finland

 

Dear Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

I am very grateful to you for tolerating me & my questions for the last few years.
I am very grateful to you for answering my doubts & questions with great concern & love.

It is said that
****Unless we have sincere devotees praying for us, we are in a hopeless
condition.****

Your prayers for me have brought me out of the hopeless condition of material life.

I am like a person on his deathbed & your prayers are like the resuscitation that brings me back & going in spiritual life. An entangled soul may try as much as he can on his own effort to get out of the material mire but he will fail to get out.
It is only by a Vaishnavas mercy, prayer & compassion that an entangled soul
will get out of this humiliating situation of material life.

I am such an entangled soul who was putting effort & adjusting to get out, but my attempts were defeated. It is only by your prayers & concern that I am in
spiritual life returning back home back to Godhead.

I am very grateful to you for praying for me. All that I can do is just follow what you say.

Please forgive my known & unknown offenses.

Your Servant,
Vipul

Pune, India

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva, my beloved spiritual father,

Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances in the dust of your divine lotus feet on this very auspicious Vyasa Puja day.

Gurudeva, you are doing so much wonderful service worldwide, helping every one who comes in contact with you, encouraging them to become happy by adding Krishna to their lives in so many different ways. You are taking a big burden and great responsibility on your strong shoulders. I am more than convinced that Srila Prabhupada must be so very pleased with you. And here I am not even writing you a letter, what a rascal I am, please forgive me Gurudeva.

After many lives of disappointment and chewing the chewed I haven’t learned enough to really desire and look for the eternal shelter of your divine lotus feet, how unfortunate I am.

My dear Srila Gurudeva, please give me the intelligence so I will be able to abandon everything unreal that has infiltrated my heart, and which is preventing me from serving you with all my heart.

My dear Gurudeva I beg for your mercy so that I can keep myself above water and not drown in Maya’s enormous ocean.

Thank you for giving me shelter under your protecting and caring wings. Praying to always remain at the shelter of your divine lotus feet.

Your eternal insignificant servant,
Visakha

Denmark

 

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada y todas las glorias a Bir Krishna Das Goswami

Por favor acepte mis respetuosas reverencias al polvo de sus pies de loto.

Querido Gurudeva por favor déjeme desearle lo mejor a una alma tan rendida como usted, que tiene mucho discípulos por muchas partes del mundo y quien es muy querido por el señor KRSNA. Muchos tratan de servirlo lo mejor que pueden, ahora que viene a Ratra-Yatra México Guadalajara, me gustaría servirlo como su fiel sirviente, no solo cuando este en México sino todo la eternidad, quisiera formar parte de su familia y quisiera que algún día me diera su bendición de ser su discípulo, quisiera que me instruyera y que me ayudara a salir de este océano de sufrimientos, de esta era de Kali-Yuga.

Gurudeva solo me queda desearle lo mejor en este su Vyasa-Puja con todos los devotos que tendrán el gusto de atenderlo aya en FIJI, donde me gustaría estar alli para atenderlo y servirlo pero ya llegara el día donde tendré la oportunidad de servirlo, ahora en noviembre si es que nos da sus bendiciones, tratare de estar para servirlo me despido Gurudeva deseándole siempre lo mejor, reverencias al polvo de sus pies de loto.

¡¡¡¡¡ “HARE KRISHNA” ¡¡¡¡¡.

Su eterno sirviente,
Vísala Dasa

 

MY DEAR BELOVED GURUDEV!!!

Please accept my humbly obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupad and to you!

I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU OUR BELOVED SPIRITUAL MASTER !!! YOU ARE THE MOST MERCIFULL PEARSON I`V EVER MEET!!!

Thank you for staying by me in spite of all my troubles and crises; now I became little bit grown, and thanks to your mercy and teachings. I hope to stay forever with you. My whole life and heart are dedicated to you.
I’ll bee there always in trying to serve you.

Your,
Vraja Isvari d

Serbia

 

nama on visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

My dear spiritual father, Hare Krishna!

Please accept my humble obeisance at the dust of your lotus feet. I am very proud that you have taken me in your shelter, for which I always feel secured for every second that comes across.

Here comes a very joyous moment which is just around the corner, yes my Gurudev, I do not have any knowledge nor do I qualify to express the treasure that I have. Off course it’s your Vyasa puja. And in simple words I would love to say A VERY HAPPY VYASA PUJA TO MY ETERNAL LOVING SPIRITUAL FATHER. And many happy! Happy! Returns for a day.

I couldn’t imagine what would I have been – if you Maharaja, would not have given me the shelter at your lotus feet. Probably wondering with many stumblenesses in this material world and trying to gather the answers for my questions.

I do not have anything to give, in fact nothing at all I could offer you with the perfection but your ultimate mercy and love Gurudev, has strongly and boldly bounded me in the service of Krishna consciousness. I’d never felt so much care, love and affection in my life ever until the day came my spiritual master has ultimately bonded me not just himself, but also to almighty Shyama Shyam Sundar who engages me in the most delicate and fabulous service.

I was attracted to the maharaja’s and the programs in ISKCON but there was a day I could clearly recall that was allowing my mind to get fully engaged and be part of the parampara of ISKCON. Yes that was no other day – it was your Vyasa puja that you’ve celebrated previously with your disciples. I stood in the crowd and couldn’t avoid myself from staring at you. Thank God that I got your e-mail address from a friend of mine. And without any question you’ve accepted me. I saw this as very huge mercy and came to know that finally I got my actual eternal father whom I’ve been in search of.

I am speechless and very heartily thankful for all that you are doing in the service of Srila Prabhupada and showering special mercy onto the fallen souls and picking me up from drowning into this illusionary planet.

All I want to say is that I love you Gurudev. I love you so! so! so much my Gurudev.
Missing you heaps Maharaja. We just cannot wait for your arrival Gurudev.

Praying for a long and very healthy life yours.

Yours disciple,
Vraja sundari dasi

 

Querido Srila Gurudev,

Por favor acepte mis reverencias.

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Srila Gurudev:

Que tenga un feliz Vyasa Puja en Fiji se siente vacio el templo cuando usted no esta . Lo extano mucho le agradesco que me de su misericordia de estar presente en el porgrama de la manana gracias Gurudev se ser misericordioso con esta alma caida que no se lo merece y trata de complacer asu maestro spiritual
escribio su unsignificante sirviente,

Vrindavan dd

New Goloka, N.C. USA

 

 

Dear Srila Bir Krsna Maharaj Gurudeva,
Please accept my humbly respect. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Everything beautiful and a lot of health for your Vyasa Puja!
Ever your disciple,
Zlato

Slovenia, Ljubljana