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The Divine Appearance Day of
Our Beloved Spiritual Master

His Holiness
Srila Bir Krsna das 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

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

Srila Gurudeva’s Offering
to 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

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to your appearance and activities, which are both fully transcendental. By meditating on your appearance and activities, one can transcend the path of birth and death.

The spiritual master is described as “the eternal father” of the disciple. The veracity of this statement is shown by your interactions with us, your disciples. Your relationship as eternal father is not simply some metaphorical poetic statement but a reality. In fact, you are more fatherly than any father of this world. Here are some examples of your superfatherly actions (I am sure there are many more):

1. Even before the birth of a child, the father arranges the home so that the child will have a comfortable, nurturing environment in which to grow up. In the same way, you have arranged for a society of devotees to care for us, even before we are old enough to speak intelligibly about spiritual subject matters. So many wonderful Vaisnavas, who have accompanied you as your assistants, care for us in your society with real love and affection.

2. Upon the birth of the child, the father arranges for an appropriate name to be given to him, a name that gives him his identity and at the same time connects him to his predecessors. In the same way, you have named us. This name gives us the identity of a servant of a servant of a servant of Krsna, and connects us to our wonderful disciplic family, which begins with the Supreme Lord Himself and His associates in Goloka.

3. The father also arranges for the maintenance and protection of his children. You have arranged to give us the most wonderful food (prasadam) and are always protecting us with your guidance and with the guidance of your faithful followers. Even physically, your loving family cares for us and protects us.

4. To secure a bright future for the child, the father arranges for him to be educated in relevant knowledge. You have personally written so many books, given so many classes, and shown us your personal example in order to educate us, not only in spiritual subjects but also in how to deal with this world. You have also given us many expert teachers to help us imbibe this knowledge.

5. The father trains the child and mentors him so that the child can take up the father’s occupation. You have arranged for our training so that we can take up the activity that will most please you, the spreading of love of Godhead.

6. Then the father arranges for the child to have a specific occupation in a specific locale. You have given us our services according to our psychophysical nature, so that we will be most effective in helping the conditioned souls regain their lost relation with Krsna.

7. Even after the child takes on a specific occupation, the father is always there to guide him. I find that continually I need to be praying to you for guidance. Whenever I have to make a decision, I ask myself, “What would Srila Prabhupada want me to do in this circumstance?”

8. A material father no longer protects the child after he has grown up, but you, Srila Prabhupada, continue to protect us in every way.

9. You continue to act as the intermediary between us and Krsna. Because of your purity and transparency, our experience of Krsna is direct.

10. More than an ordinary father, you are with us at the time of death, and even beyond. You never neglect us. Even if we have to take birth again in this material realm, you appear and guide us on the path, life after life.

11. Then, when we finally reach the ultimate abode of the Lord, Goloka, you are there eternally to engage us in the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and Their associates. Simultaneously, you eternally engage us in the service of the Panchatattva and their associates.

How can we ever repay your love for us? The love that you have for us is boundless and causeless. That love can never be repaid. I pray that I will always be engaged in repaying that love, wherever it may take me, as long as I always have your service and association.

Your eternal son-servant,
Bir Krishna Das Goswami 

 

Disciples of
His Divine Grace
Srila Prabhupada

Apurva
Bhakti Caru Swami
Drumila
Govinda Kund
Sadhvi
Yogindra

 

Temples

Sri Krisna Kaliya Dhama

Disciples and others

Abhay Caran
Acyuta and Sudama
Adi lila
Aghari
Amritavilasini
Anabhava
Ananda Swarup
Ananta Sesa
Arcana
Aroti
Arundati
Astasakhi
Balaram Avadhuta
Bhanu
Bhavatarini
Bilvamangala
Borut
Caitanya
Christopher
Cintamani
Citra
Daivi Sakti
Damodara Priya
Dayananda, Stya, Bhakta Jishnu
Devaprastha, Kasturi
Dhanakeli
Dhirodatta
Dina Bandhu
Draupadi
Dvaipayana, Sraddhanjali
Ganashyam, Gurusharana
Gandarvika
Gandharvika
Gargamuni
Gaurangi, Samalalita, Sruta kirti
Gaurangi
Giridhari
Gokula Bandhu
Gokula Ranjana
Gokulacankra
Gokulananda
Golokananda priya
Gopal
Gopalnandini
Gopi
Gopinatha
Gordan
Gourasundar
Govardhana
Govinda
Govinda Gopal, Dhanista
Hanuman, Param, Vrinda
Hladini Sakti
Hrisikesh
Iksvaku and family
Indranuja, Raj Vidya
Jagad Guru
Jagannatha
Jahnavi, Alfonse
Jamuna
Jayananda
Jayasri
Joe
Kamala Manjari
Kapila and Rasaraj
Katherine
Keshava Madhava
Kisori
Krishna Jivani
Krishna Kumari
Krishna priya
Krishnarati
Krsnaa
Krsnapriya
Kundalata
Kurma
Lalita Gopinatha
Lilamanjari
Lilamrta
Lilasuka
Madan Gopal and Nayika
Madhava Priya
Madhumangala and Lolakshi
Maha mantra das
Maha mantra dasi
Mamata mayi
Mandakini
Markandeya Rsi
Mayapuracandra and Campakalata
Mohini Radha
Mrtyu Mrtyu
Murali Vandana
Nanda Gopal
Nandarani
Narrotama
Navadvipa and Govindamohini
Neela Madhava
Nikunja vasini
Niraj
Nital Lila
Nitai Priya
Nityananda and Nartiki
Padmavati
Pandu and Kunti
Pirjo
Prana
Prananatha
Prema manjari
Pretax,Rudra, Krishna Kumari, Kamal Locan
Prithu
Pundarika
Radha
Radha Kunda
Radhanatha, Radha Govinda
Ramanuja
Ramesha
Rangadevi
Rangini
Rasa Bihari
Rasanatha
Rasasundari
Rasikananda, Krisangi
Ratna Radika
Rupanuga, Radhakaruna
Sabina
Samantha
Sanatana
Sankirtana
Sarah (Santi)
Saranam
Satyavrata
Saumyarupa
Sipivista
Sri Ram, Maya priya
Srimati
Srivas, Malini, Rukmini
Subal
Sundari, Syama manjari
Suvilas
Syama
Syamapriya
Taralaksi, Prithi
Tilakini
Mother Tulasi
Tulasi
Tungavidya
Uttara
Vaisnavi
Venu Gopal
Vipul
Visakha
Visala
Vishnujana, Naradi
Vrindavan

Hare Krishna Bir Krishna das Goswami,

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

As I write this offering, I am taking darshan of your most worshipable deities, Sri Sri Radha-Golokananda in the magnificent temple that you personally built with your own hands, and also established as an excellent temple. I am begging for Their mercy to write a few words in glorification of Their most surrendered servant on this most auspicious day of your appearance. What comes up for me as I sit here is how you were literally at the source of bringing the spiritual world to Hillsborough, just how Srila Prabhupada was the source of bringing Krishna consciousness to America. Through your commitment and determination the spiritual world has manifest here at New Goloka. And everyday when I come to the temple I experience the spiritual world.

At this point I would like to interject some words that I personally heard Srila Prabhupada speak. In 1972 at Vyasa Puja in New Vindavan. There were approximately 500 disciples and about 16 parents. Srila Prabhupada started off the lecture by saying – “some of you may be thinking this is some kind of man worship, anthropomorphism, but this is not true. Just as a viceroy may accept certain gifts and praise on behalf of the king he does not keep any for his own enjoyment. Similarly, these offerings of love are being passed onto God Himself and the spiritual master is like the viceroy. This Vyasa Puja ceremony is simply meant to teach them “disciples” how to honor the Supreme Personality of Godhead”. In the same way I know in my heart that all the gifts and praise that you are receiving, you are passing onto Srila Prabhupada and the disciplic succession.

Since I first met you in L.A. in 1977, I always considered you to be my older extremely more advanced brother. I am totally awed at how you’re committed to the process of devotional service and by your huge contribution to ISKCON. I attribute this to your super-strict adherence to the process of sadhana-bhakti and your deep love for Srila Prabhupada in his vani form, as well as vapu. It is very clear to me that you are completely and wholeheartedly attached to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krishna. It gives me great inspiration and enthusiasm in my devotional service to be in your association and the association of the New Goloka community. I’m also very pleased and enlivened with how the community here has grown and matured since my first time residing here in 1993. I attribute much of this to your steadfast commitment to pure devotional service and the project. As I sit here, I am totally amazed at how you’ve put so much care and love into training the devotees and also developing the Deity worship, which is one of the highest in the movement. From what I understand, there’s never been one late offering or arotik in 20+ years. That is amazing.

What I appreciate most about my God-brothers and God-sisters is how they emulate and exemplify the many qualities that Srila Prabhupada demonstrated in his vapu form. Over the many years that I have known you, I have seen and experienced first-hand many of those qualities in your persona. I will now elaborate on these qualities from my own association with you:

1. Extremely kind and charitable: I remember when my family first moved here to the community, we had some very unusual car karma. We went through 4 cars in one year. The last car we had was a 1990 Ford Taurus that was in great shape. That car was totaled in an accident, and of course, we didn’t have full coverage. For about 3 months, we had no car and our finances were in bad shape. You arranged for the temple to give us a donation of $40. That meant a whole lot to my wife and I. On another occasion when one of my family members had some medical problem, you took out of your own pocket $150 and made a donation. About 1 month ago, I told you I was interested in collecting donations for the prasadam programs here at New Goloka. The next day you personally took my picture and spent over an hour putting a nametag together for me. It really touched me how you took the time out of your day, with so many GBC and guru responsibilities, you dropped everything just to assist me. Whenever I have a problem or a question, you immediately respond. In the year 2004, I cooked Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-Puja feast here at the temple and you personally came in and washed all my dirty pots as we had a transcendental competition.

2. Expert in the material world and spiritual world: I often take your shelter and advice on any spiritual or material problem that may befall me and your input is always extremely valuable and helpful. I don’t know anyone more computer literate than you. I am always astonished at how many things you accomplish on the computer. Your Janmasthami flyers are unparalleled.

3. Steady and self-controlled: During the whole morning program every day, you are the only devotee who stays fixed and never leaves the temple room for over 3 hours. You are punctual for everything. I have seen how you are very regulated in eating and sleeping and all other activities, just like Srila Prabhupada. You also adhere very strictly to a very austere diet. In the morning, you just eat fresh fruit, nuts, and dried fruit and then at 5pm, you have only steamed veggies with dried oat cakes and your dessert is the poured off water left over from the steamed veggies. You also never over-eat.

4. All-cognizant: Somehow or other, like the Supersoul, you are well-aware of what’s going on in the hearts of minds of your disciples and friends.

5. Tolerant and empowering: You are always very tolerant and empowering with your dependents, especially dealing with children and women as Srila Prabhupada was also. If you look at some of the pictures of Srila Prabhupada in the old days, there are many pictures taken of him helping children and women in their devotional service. He also, like you, encouraged all of the matajis in the temple to preach, give class, lead kirtan, and perform deity worship. The New Goloka temple is, as everyone knows, the most “kid-friendly” temple in the movement. For this reason, you are often criticized as being a feminist. This, of course, is not true. You’re just being equal to everyone. I personally had a very abrasive conversation with a God-brother that disturbed me to no end. When I told you the next day about my conversation, you nonchalantly said, “What can be done? This is life with the internet.” You didn’t rant or rave or express a victim mentality. In this way, you are very tolerant, and a well-wisher to everyone. On many occasions, I have heard you glorify, acknowledge, and encourage so many of our second and third generation. I still remember how you invited my son and I to your room in Mayapur when we were there in 1999. You gave us your darshan and personally encouraged Amala in his devotional life. Later I told you that he wasn’t chanting his 4 rounds and you told me, “Don’t force him to chant. In time, he will take up the process. If you force, there will be a bad taste.” I also wanted to thank you for inviting my son, Amala, to lead the kirtan for Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-Puja Celebration this year. That made a huge difference for him and for our whole family. In this way, I see how you are very expert in encouraging and empowering our younger generation.

6. Expert musician and bhajan leader: Your musical talents never cease to amaze me-especially your ability to remember each and every bhajan tune that you lead every morning. You have also put out some amazing devotional CD’s that demonstrate your amazing ability to put together wonderful arrangements for Krishna’s and Srila Prabhupada’s pleasure. My son is also very musically inclined. I beg you in this regard to someday team up with him and others in the younger generation to put together a devotional CD of ecstatic bhajans and kirtans. That would be a dream come true for me.

7. Impeccably clean: You are always extremely clean in your appearance and environment. I’ve often come into your house and noticed that you keep everything neat and clean just like Srila Prabhupada.

8. Great sense of humor: Like Srila Prabhupada, you are always jolly and fun to be with because you have an incredible sense of humor. In your classes, you never miss a beat, nor an opportunity to crack a joke and keep it a lively class.

9. A friend to all living beings: You have always been extremely kind and friendly to all the different living entities that come to New Goloka, like the dogs and cats, and even me.

10. A great teacher: You once spoke at a housewarming party for Jagannath’s new house. At the end, you spoke how just by coming and hearing the class, one is performing service to the speaker. You explained so nicely how that works, that I’ve made it a habit to always come to your classes, which are always so enlivening. You give great contemporary examples and stories. Your gestures and vocal intonations would evaluate at a 10-scale at a Toastmaster’s presentation. Recently, you have kicked this up to a higher level by introducing the interactive Bhagavatam class. This has enhanced and accelerated my learning of the subject matter which comes alive in your presentation. This is but a drop of some of the great qualities you exhibit daily. Thank you for your priceless association. You add so much transcendental value to my life.

11. Openhearted and kind to all of your dependents: Over this last year, since I came back from New York, I’ve had the opportunity to have your darshan outside the temple room door after the 7:15 bhajan. This is an open invitation for anyone and everyone in the community to check in with you, get a piece of maha, ask a question, or just be present for loving exchanges. At this very special time, I personally see how you are totally present and available for each and every devotee, especially the children. This 10 minute interaction is, for most of us, the icing on the cake of an already ecstatic morning program that you have orchestrated. Here we all get to be personally present with you outside the temple room in an informal atmosphere of special intimacy. It is also a chance for us to associate with someone who is our well-wisher, and who is not out to exploit us or dominate us, but is simply pushing and nudging us back to Godhead. This is the same mood that Srila Prabhupada demonstrated with his dependents and this is what I experienced when I first joined the Krishna consciousness movement. This is the crux of how Srila Prabhupada’s movement survives and thrives. It is the wind beneath our wings for flying back to home, back to Godhead. Because you have so much love for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, you therefore have so much love, concern and kindness for all of the devotees, and this love is not based on the bodily platform. It is based on the very compassionate nature of an extremely advanced devotee who desires all conditioned souls to go back home, back to Godhead in this lifetime and nothing short of that. As you always emphasize in your classes how it is possible in this lifetime to achieve Krishna’s lotus feet.

Your very neophyte, younger brother, friend, and servant,
Apurva das

New Goloka, N.C.

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaj,

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

On this very auspicious day of your Vyasa-puja I want to admit with all sincerity that it is my great good fortune that I got you as my very special godbrother and friend. Although we have been related to each other for many years and served as the GBCs together for a considerable length of time, I did not really get to know you or develop a relationship worth mentioning. However, the land of North Carolina very mercifully brought me close to you and made me recognize and appreciate your very wonderful personality. Our intimacy developed and the deep friendship with you enriched my existence. I am eternally thankful to North Carolina for that.

I wish that on this very special day I could have celebrated this glorious occasion along with your disciples and admirers. I hope that some day I will be fortunate enough to fulfill that desire.

Thank you very much for always being so kind to me. I pray to Krishna that He allows me the good fortune of serving Srila Prabhupada with you life after life.

Your humble servant eternally,
Bhakti Charu Swami

 

Dear Maharaja,

Pamho, All glories to His Divine Grace.

It is indeed an honor to personally associate with you and to know you. When I think of your personal sacrifice’s, austerities, and your deep level of commitment to our Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada, I am awestruck and flabbergasted. You are indeed a rare soul, a mahatma. You are everything I should aspire to be. You are a pillar, a beacon of inspiration, and an excellent example of a soul surrendered.

Thank you for setting a wonderful example for the rest of us. I pray, that you will pray for me, to have the courage of conviction, and the strength and fortitude to carry on with my devotional service and my small attempts at preaching. And to give up my selfish anartha’s.

Thank you for providing me with the shelter of New Goloka. You are indeed merciful to the fallen like myself. I pray that I may one day (or lifetime) have
a fraction of your dedication, chastity, and devotion.

Your fallen godbrother,
Drumila Dasa

New Goloka

 

 

 

 

Everytime, my dear friend
Everytime I hear the Holy names I think of you,
Everytime I think of you, I see my supreme friend.
Everytime I see my Lordship’s feet, I taste the mercy of the Lord.
Everytime I taste the Prashad, I feel your guiding assurance.
Everytime I feel you with me, I tell someone of their eternal relationship.
Everytime I tell someone the nectar of the holy name, I jump for joy.
Everytime I jump for joy, I get a little better and higher.
Everytime I improve, I call on the name of the Lord,
just to think you, my dear friend.

Happy appearance day. You are all in my prayers and
thoughts.

Govinda Kunda das

 

 

 

My dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble and grateful obeisances in the dust of your very kind and tolerant feet (they travel all over the world to serve Srila Prabhupada by preaching Krsna consciousness).

All glories to Srila Prabhupada who you have praised sooo nicely as the best father in your Vyasa Puja offering. You have highlighted how much Srila Prabhupada is caring, protective and keeps giving us his loving guidance always.

Similarly, if I had to explain to 3 and 4 years old children how you are serving Srila Prabhupada, I would show them my “Care Bears ” bead bag… I don’t know if you are aware of these fictitious characters, but whoever created them certainly had good spiritual insight. They live in the sky, have very big hearts and care for all living entities in different ways.

The picture below shows one of those Care Bears. His name is “Care a Lot”,
sliding down a rainbow, which signifies love and compassion from Krsna towards
his forgetful children.

“Care a Lot ” has a big heart and he even has one painted under his foot… He is going towards the cloud to dispel the illusion of the conditioned souls. When I look at that bear, it reminds me of you because he also seems very satisfied and joyful in his service to Krsna. And the funny thing is that Care a Lot is of an orange color…

So, as the years keep on rolling, I’m more and more grateful and happy that Krsna and Srila Prabhupada have sent you to explain soo nicely His loving message to us.

And how can I thank you enough for all the trouble you are giving yourself to make sure that we are applying Krsna’s teachings in our lives and in this way reawaken our love for Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

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

 

 

Dear Maharaja,

All glories to your appearance in this world because it was the beginning
of your road back home to Godhead in this life. Out of millions of people
you were one of the few attracted to Srila Prabhupada and among those
again you were one of the very few that took his teachings and mission
seriously. Now you are leading disciples and followers back home. Thank
you.

I personally relish working with you in Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON
and hope to be able to continue our relationship eternally. After all we
are eternal beings and very fortunate to be able to serve Srila Prabhupada 
together. Therefore our desire is eternal and I consider myself very
lucky to be working with you in whatever capacity Lord Gauranga wants. If
there is anything I can do better please let me know and please keep myself
and family in your little book of devotees to stay in touch with. Again if
there is any further service I can be of assistance with please just inform me
and I’ll do my best to accomplish your desire.

Sincerely,
Your Servant,
Yogindra and Maharani

New Talavan, MS

 

nana om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

nama om visnu paddaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate tamal krsna goswamin iti namine

nama om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krsna goswamin iti namine

Dear Guru-maharaja,

Please accept our most humble obeisances unto your divine lotus feet on this auspicious day of your Vyasa puja. Please bestow your mercy on us. May Lord
Sri Krsna-kaliya protect you always.

Guru-maharaja, through your divine blessing we all are engaged in the service of His Lordship Sri Sri Krsna- kaliya. Many hindrances and obstacles came but
just by remembering your instructions we were able to overcome the sufferings.

Dear Guru-maharaja, there is no word, and even for millions of years if we glorify you, still your divine glories would not end.

Srila Guru-maharaja Vyasa-puja ki jaya!!!

Your servants from Sri Krsna- kaliya dhama,
Lautoka, Fiji

 

 

 

 

My Dear Gurudeva

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your appearance.lst thinking of what to write for your Vyasa Puja offering, I remembered hat you told me on my first visit to New Goloka, that if I wanted to show
devotion to you then I shouldn’t write an overenthusiastic offering, I should simply chant my 16 rounds, follow the 4 regulative principles and stay in ISKCON for the rest of my life. My loyalty and devotion to you can only be proved over a long period of time. I pray to Krishna for that ability to do just that.

I would like to thank you though for saving me in Krishna Consciousness and for teaching me a way to be happy, practical and balanced in devotional life. Each time I visit a temple where your devotees reside, it becomes apparent to me how happy, kind and friendly all the devotees are and how each one of them is expressing their love for Krishna according to their own individual nature. No two devotees are alike in the way they serve. They all have different talents that they are expressing. You are engaging them in Krishna’s service so expertly according to their psychophysical nature, exactly as Prabhupada wanted.

I would also like to thank you for always being there. I have never met someone who replies to their emails with such regularity. You are always there to help and encourage in good times and bad. Always ready to answer questions and to sort out difficulties. It is always so exciting to hear from you and your advice always helps so much. You must have so many disciples and devotees writing to you each day and yet you always find time to help. This is indicative of a personality who cares very deeply about all our spiritual welfares.

It is such a relief to have you there to take shelter of Gurudeva.

Your aspiring servant,
Abhay Caran das
UK

 

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

Dearest Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our most humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON yatra.

We thank you so very much for all the guidance you have given to us. Everyday unfolds with your blissful remembrance and ends with your glorious memories of so many beautiful visits.

You have filled our lives with hope, and courage despite obstacles in our devotional life.

We pray to you on this auspicious day of your merciful appearance in our darkened world that you please continue to bind your servants tighter with the ropes of loving attachment.

Your unworthy servants,
Acyuta das
Sudama das
Fiji

My dear Srila Gurudeva!

Please accept my obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Srila Gurudeva!

brahma-bhutah prasanmatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvasu bhutesu
mad-bhaktin labhate param

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.” BG 18.54

Like a dried up tree without fruit as flowers I was suffering in ignorance in this material world. Without qualifications or even a trace of pious activities I had no hope for deliverance, but by some unknown good luck I got an opportunity to associate with some of Your disciples and from that moment my life was changed.

Then by Your grace I was able to have darshana with You and take initiation and now there are only two things which I value in life; association of devotees and Your guidance. I am always willing to do whatever You desire of me.

As Sandipani Muni told his disciples Krsna and Sudama:
“I am glad to see that bonafide students like you will undergo any kind of trouble for the satisfaction of the spiritual master. That is the way for a bona fide disciple to become free from his debt to the spiritual master. It is the duty of the disciple to dedicate his life to the service of the spiritual master. I am greatly pleased by your acts, and I bless you. May all your desires and ambitions be fulfilled.”

And as Lord Krsna told His old friend Sudama:
“If a man is sufficiently educated in student life under the guidance of a proper teacher his life becomes successful in the future. He can very easily cross over the ocean of nescience and he is not subject to the influence of the illusory energy. As the Supersoul of the living entities; I sit in everyones heart and observe everyones activity in every stage and order of life. Regardless of which stage one is in discharging his life to the service of the spiritual master, that person becomes most dear to Me. My dear friend, both of us can realize that
without the blessings of the spiritual master no one can be happy. But by the mercy of the spiritual master and by his blessings, one can fulfill the mission of human life.”

I have hope:
Your mercy in the form of Your love, Your care, Your example, Your instructions. Please bless me and keep me under Your shelter. Teach me to serve as You serve Srila Prabhupada, without duplicity, with heart and soul.

Let me be Your dog.
Your insignificant servant,
Adi Lila dd

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupad.
All glories to Srila Gurudev.
All glories to the most caring – H.H Bir Krsna Goswami.

Please accept my humble obeisances unto your lotus feet.

I have always known you in my heart to be an extraordinary person. You are kind, loving, patient and caring as well. You always took your time out for Fiji devotees, giving them inspiration, guidance and devotion. The lectures you have given are aspiring and liberating. My Godbrothers have given many BKG mp3’s and upon hearing them one is sure to be guaranteed protection from maya. If anyone hears your lectures with devotion and seriousness then to undertand the actual transcendental position of initiator Guru is just ‘simple.’

Dear Maharaj, your presence never makes me feel depressed and always enlightens me to feel that my Gurudev is still personally present on this planet. It is through You that Lord Krsna is helping and inspiring us. You even made Goloka Bihari to appear in Suva and bestow mercy to all. You are always determine to serve Srila Prabhupad and make ISKCON prosper and expand. You brought elevated devotees from abroad to assist in Suva temple opening and in this way gave us opportunity to learn by association, O Maharaj, You are doing so much for us but just see my unfortunate position-
DURDAIVAM IDRSAM IHJANI NA ANURAGAHA.

I still have no attraction to devotion or transcendence.
Therefore, I wish to thank you for your compassion by which you have appeared to deliver condition souls of this world.

JAYA GURUDEV
JAYA PRABHUPADA

Forever your indebted disciple,
Aghari das

Ba- Fiji

 

Dearest Srila Gurudev, my father,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to your lotus feet.

My father when I first met you I knew in my heart straight away that I
had finally met my father.

You are always there for me holding my hand and always guiding me with
your words through my life. Some days when my health issues seem so
unbearable I hear you and it all seems okay.

My father I admire you, you always raise my spirits and you give me the motivation to carry on.

I feel so blessed by Krishna to have you as my father. With your guidance and care, I always feel safe and secure and it gives the confidence to go on.

You believe in me and my ability and because of this I know I will always
have the courage and strength to keep on believing in myself.

You are the greatest father I could ever ask for. I can’t thank you enough
for choosing me as your daughter.

I just pray to Krishna for more ways and opportunities to serve you
better and more.

Your Daughter,
Amrtavilasini

 

 

Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisances on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa puja.

You are a very kind person pulling us up from the deep well of maya. I take this opportunity to glorify you on this most blessed day of your appearance day. You are very dear to Lord Krishna because you are preaching Krishna consciousness. You have totally dedicated your life to your spiritual master and you are bestowing your mercy unto all the fallen souls

Always desiring your mercy and please keep me at your lotus feet.

Yours humble servant,
Anabhava Devi Dasi

Labasa, Fiji

 

 

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

All glories to Srila Prabhupada & Srila Gurudeva.

Please accept my most humble obeisances at you divine lotus feet.

Dear Guru Maharaja,

All glories to you. You have delivered us from the clutches of Maya and brought bliss and joy to our hearts. You have awakened us from our dormant state of ignorance with the torchlight of your love. And also by our mercy you have made me your disciple.

Your Worthless Servant,
Anand Swarup Das

Suva, Fiji Islands

 

Dear BK Goswami,

Wishing you a chant-and-be-happy birthday on this momentous occasion! May the example of your glorious dedication to the will of ISKCON’s founder-acarya
continue to increase and stand as a beacon for us all to follow! Hoping that my talents can be of benefit to you in this endeavor of service to Srila Prabhupad and
Sri Krishna.

In all humility,
Ananta Sesa das bramacari

New Goloka, N.C.

 

 

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

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

I offer my most humble obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Bir Krishna das Goswami! Jaya Gurudeva! May I always rest in the shade, shelter and protection of your lotus feet.

My dearest spiritual father,

Jaya Gurudeva! I hope that everything is going nicely for you and that you are having a wonderful appearance day. I always pray that Krsna protect you and you in turn protect me. What would I do without your protection and guidance? I pray that Krsna give you good health so that you may live a long life, so you continue to assist Srila Prabhupada in saving the world by preaching and spreading the Holy Names. I know I would be lost without you. You are doing a great service to Krsna and to Srila Prabhupada. I am ever grateful for your service.

My dearest Gurudeva, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and to express how much you mean to me. I know I have many faults and I have made many mistakes. I have failed as a disciple. I have let you and Krsna down. It breaks my heart to think of how I have dissatisfied you. Thank you for not pushing me away and discarding me. You are so merciful. Please forgive me for my shortcomings and please give me strength to do better in the future. Please help me to serve you and Krsna better. I can do nothing without yours and
Krsna’s mercy. Please help me to develop full surrender and full love. I have complete confidence that you are able to do this and that you are able to take me back to Krsna. My spiritual life is in your hands.

My beloved Gurudeva, thank you for agreeing to take me home. Thank you for
your instructions. Thank you for allowing me to serve you. Thank you for giving me support, guidance, love and most of all…thank you for giving me Krsna. Thank you for giving me shelter despite my faults and mistakes. Thank you for taking such good care of me. You are so merciful and kind. I am in great debt to you. I can never repay you. Please never remove me from you lotus feet. May I always be situated in service to you and Krsna. If I am able to spend my life in your and Krsna’s service then my life is complete. Thank you for giving me a chance to make my life complete.

Your eternal servant,
Arcana dd

 

All glories to Gurudev because without him I don’t know where I would be but in Darkness without knowing that Krishna is the one true God. I do mean one true God. I would be in the material world blinded by lust etc. But since I know Krishna, I am now a devotee of Krishna I don’t have to worry. I have
Gurudev to thank, as well as Srila Prabhupada to have Gurudev to preach to
people about Krishna as well as the devotees.

May Krishna bless Gurudev forever.

Your Servent,
Aroti Devi Dasi

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

 

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

Dear Maharaj,

Please let me offer my most humble obeisance’s in the dust of your holy lotus feet on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

In the nectar of devotion it speaks of a first class devotee. The first class devotee is one who has strictly followed the rules and regulation under the training of a bona fide spiritual master and has sincerely obeyed him in accord with revealed scriptures. Thus being fully trained to preach and become a spiritual master himself, he is considered a first class devotee.

Srila Gurudev, you exemplify a first class devotee in every way. In your personal habits of everyday life, you have trained yourself to become a perfect instrument in Srila Prabhupada’s service. By your exemplary practice of sadhana bhakti, Krsna has blessed you with the ability to become successful in preaching Krishna consciousness all over the world.

Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita that no one is dearer to him than one who preaches Krishna consciousness. So by understanding this we can see how dear you are to Prabhupada and Krishna.

Srila Gurudev you are karuna-sindu, an ocean of mercy, always thinking of how to help everyone go back home, back to godhead. So if you desire, please allow me to always remain at the shelter of your divine lotus feet.

Yours most fallen servant,
Arunaditi Devi dasi

Labasa, Fiji

 

 

Dear Gurudeva!

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you! I would like to wish you a very nice appearance day.

In the life we are destined to come together with people and then again separate just like small straws in the river meet and then depart. But with you it is different. I have come to meet with you in a different way. Even though I often wander away to material consciousness, I always meet you again and again when I try to return to you and to spiritual life.

I think it proves that our relationship is not material.

I am very happy that you accept my attempt to serve you and Srila Prabhupada’s movement. Your own example of service is my best source of inspiration.

Your servant,
Astasakhi dd and kids

ps. Mathura says Thank you Gurudeva!

 

Vyasa-puja offering 2006

Knock, knock – Time is knocking on my door.
Merciful,- I say bowing to the floor,
Waiting for nothing comes and goes the soul –
With what can I serve You?

My house gate’s without door, the Lord
Walks through in ‘n out,
He’s blessing by charging wishes,
Opening secrets, raveling madness.

Beloved devotee standing in doorway Time will pass, His present undoubting,
Awaiting My arrival – a fort have you arisen As jewel of my altar is His smiling face –
Fortified with love, soothing stream you gushed Master, Your being here brings me happiness
From the stone of necessity. And I pledge my life to You again and again
Since now and with life on the end.

Meantime: following the smell of wealth,
Keeps folks move around, bowing to the holy land,
Keeping up the rounds we keep on the path to mend,
Rap the words what they expect, ripe the life what we demand.

What can I do other, I open my heart,
I open my mouth, my mind just wouldn’t shot,
Neither can I hide out. I compose a lame scribbling
Duty or pleasure about, Gurudeva, whatever might be
Let me hang around.
Happy, holy appearance!

 

 

Your eternal servant
Balaráma Avadhuta

 

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

The dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept our most sincere and humble obeisance at the dust of Your lotus feet. All glories to Your divine grace on this most blessed day of Your
appearance in this world! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Our dear father we are very thankful for Your mercy and kindness that You show us every time we write or talk to You. Every time we have a feeling that You pay special attention for us and the whole family and this encourage and inspire us. You have such a great and big heart for every disciple and each of us knows that they have a certain place in You.

You initiated us and married us and gave such beautiful and powerful
names to us and our daughters. We are very fortunate to be Your disciples.

We can’t express our gratitude by words…but we really want to sincerely say Thank You for everything You have done for us.

We are praying to Krishna to always carry Your instructions in our heart even in times of great difficulties.

HAPPY VYASA PUJA!!!

Your insignificant servants,
Bhanu Das, Swamini Dasi, Lalita Dasi, Devi Dasi

Slovenia

 

 

 

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisance. All Glory to You and Srila Prabhupada!

I would like to offer You for Your Vyasa Puja, my promise to be a better devotee, to better serve the devotes, You and Krishna, to chant my circles without offences and try to spread Krishna Counscessnes to the others.

Thank You for Your leadership, blessings and love during the last year. Thank You for Darshana, instructions, quick e-mail answers and words of encouragement. Thank You for helping me in my unsure beginners steps of developing love and unselfishnes for others and for Krishna. Sometimes my heart was dry, empty, without love, but when I received Your e-mail, as a miracle my heart suddenly became fullfilled with love, new energy and enthusiasm.

On summer Camp Your everyday presence gave me feelings of strength and that You really care about me and my spiritual increase. Thank You for Your patience. Please forgive all my offences in the past and in the future. I wish You the best for all aspects of Your life.

With love,
Your servant,
Bhavatarini d.d.

Virovitica, Croatia

 

Our Dear Bir Krishna Maharaj,

Please accept our most humble obeisances at the very dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Your Divine Grace (on this most auspicious day of Your appearance!)

Once again I most sincerely wish to thank you for your causeless mercy upon us by giving us shelter at your divine feet. We thank you most sincerely for visiting us in New Zealand and allowing us to serve you. We felt so blissful to be able to serve you, Maharaj and other devotees who graced our home. We are indeed very fortunate to have Maha Bhagavats like your very self at our home. Thank you Guru Maharaj for taking my two daughters, Govinda Priya and Anuradha as your disciples. We pray that you kindly bless them so that they are able to serve you and all the Vaisnavas and help in the mission of jagad guru, HDG Srlia Prabhupada.

When Srila Gurudeva (HH Tamal Krishna Maharaj) left this planet, we were wondering from whom we would take Gayatri Diksha. However, Lord Krishna had already appointed you to be our second initiating guru and as such, we feel so blessed and grateful. Thank you Guru Maharaj, for accepting us as your disciples.

Within a short period, we have become so attached to you that we regularly converse about you and feel your presence.

On this very auspicious day of your Vyas-puja, we pray to Lord Krishna to give you good health so that you continue to serve Srila Prabhupada in his mission of saving the fallen souls like us.

Please give us strength and serenity to follow your instructions and to serve you and Srila Gurudeva eternally.

All glories to you on this most auspicious day!!

Begging to be your eternal servants,
Bilvamangala d.
Krsodari d.d.
Govinda Priya d.d.
Anuradha d.d.

New Zealand

 

 

 

 

Dear Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaja,

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

Your kindness towards fallen living beings is inspiring and the way you follow your Gurudeva HH A.C. Bhaktivednata’s instructions and teachings makes me even more enthusiastic about being engaged in devotional service through your instructions.

Gurudeva patita pavana.

Your Servant,
Borut

Ljubljana, Slovenija

 

 

My dear Father and Spiritual Master,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your holy appearance in this world.

I would just like to take the opportunity to express some words of gratitude , feelings of sincerity that I always have for you , my dear Gurudeva.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you and for accepting my insignificant service.

It is through my humble service that I feel connected with you.
What else can I say? Anything that I try to say about you, merciful personality,
will always be insignificant. I feel that even more important than chanting your glories, which I am not qualified to do, is promising within my heart, with all possible honesty, that I will never cheat you, that I will never stop trying to serve you with my strength.

Despite so many limitations, I will never stop rendering practical service to push on your divine mission in this world. No matter how much I intent to glorify you , my debt towards you is eternal and I cannot repay it.

I hope that I can always envision your smiling face in my mind and heart.

Your insignificant servant,
Caitanya dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Sirla Prabupada

Thank you Gurudeva for all you have done for me these past years…..more than you may know,,, much more,,,just allowing me to visit with you and have association from simple chats to classes on Vedic truths and knowledge, to asking me how am I doing in life,,, these all mean so much to me,,, not many ask me such things in my everyday life,,, or care much what my answer may be,,, thank you for your encouragement and caring,,, thank you for the love you show not only me but the love you show the devotees and that is such a great example for me to see,,,

Your Servant,
Bhakta Christopher Brooks

Atlanta Georgia USA

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Their Lordships Sri-Sri Radha-Golokananda!

Well, this July marked the 18th year that I have been engaged in the service of Sri-Sri Radha-Golokananda. Much has happened in that time, devotees have come and gone, and the time factor is affecting our bodies. The notice has been served by Sri Krishna that we must prepare for leaving this world and to pass that final test. Please give me your blessing that I will pass that final exam.

Sometimes I have a strong desire to visit Gokul Vrindavan in India, but actually Vrindavan is wherever Krishna and Srila Prabhupada are worshipped by sincere devotees. Actually, I am not a devotee because I have no prema and am full of lust, pride and envy. But by following your example one day there will be success.

Hare Krishna! Living in hope of the mercy of Srimati Radharani,
Your aspiring disciple,
Cintamani dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Maharaja,

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

There are so many things that I could thank you for on this day—your inspiring lectures, your strict sadhana, your humor, your kindness. But if I had to choose the quality that inspired me the most, it would be your steadfast devotion to Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet.

As the years go by, I am beginning to realize how rare an opportunity I have had to associate with so many of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. And even more fortunate I am to have grown up in New Goloka, a place in which you invested so much of your time, care, and energy. Thank you very much for allowing me to render some service to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

In your Vyasa Puja offering this year, you described the ways in which Srila Prabhupada is our real father. I was very touched by your words and I pray that I can follow in your footsteps and also develop some of that deep love and gratitude for Srila Prabhupada. Thank you most of all for your association.

Begging to remain…

Your servant eternally,
Cintamani devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

nama om vishnu padaya
krishna pristhaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krishna dasa
goswamin iti namine

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

My Dearest Gurudeva,

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

Another year has passed and it seems like it was only yesterday that I have come to talk to You about joining the movement. It was the greatest decision I ever made yet. I cannot thank You enough for giving me Your mercy to be Your disciple. To this day, I still do not know how to better serve You. All I know is, day by day, I give thanks to Lord Krishna for having sent You into my life, which is the greatest gift anyone can ever receive in a lifetime.

Gurudeva, please forgive me for all the offenses that I unknowingly made. Please teach me and guide me. Only You can show me the path through your teachings on how to go back to Godhead. Hare Krishna!

“Happy Appearance Day, Gurudeva”

Your forever insignificant servant,
Citra devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

Dear Gurudev, Hare Krishna!

Please accept my most humble obeisances into the dust of your lotus feet!

I am so happy and honored to have this opportunity to glorify you on this very auspicious day of your appearance. The only thing is that I am so insignificant and conditioned, so I cannot possibly understand the glories of the pure representative of Krishna. So whatever I may write about you is not worthy of hearing. Only because of your causeless mercy upon all of us conditioned souls, I have got this opportunity to try to say something about your unlimited glories as Krishna’s very devoted servant.

I remember you once saying that only one who has bhakti can awake bhakti in the others. Although I do not have bhakti myself, I can see your devotion by the mercy of Krishna. I pray to you that one day I get this matchless gift which Srila Prabhupada came to offer to all of us. I know that this is matter of our desire, but first of all we should deserve this. I hope one day I will be able to satisfy you in order to reach this very high state of having devotion to you and Krishna.

Dear Gurudev, what can I say about you? Your dealings with all of us are full of mercy and compassion. You always try to encourage us to continue with our devotional service, under any circumstances. Your great glory is that you see each and every one of us as a person, who deserves special attention and care. Even in our very fallen state, or maybe because of that even more, you are always ready to take your time and energy to communicate with all of us as if we were the only person you have to take care about.

I am especially touched by the way you are dealing with peoples hearts. You know exactly what is in the heart of every person and you have deep understanding for our needs, desires, and even doubts. And you always manage to make us express our hearts in the most personal and human way we would ever have an opportunity otherwise.

I can say that if I ever become capable of approaching to you and Krishna in a personal way, as we all should, since He is the Supreme Person, that will be by your mercy only. You are personally teaching us by your own example about personalism in our dealings with each other. Please help me to attain to this stage one day.

Thank you very much for your kindness and I beg you to forgive me for all of the offences I am making to you due to my fallen nature!

Your fallen servant,
Daivi Sakti dd

 

 

Dear Gurudeva, my eternal Father,

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

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

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

First of all, speaking from the heart, I am happy to express a few of my thoughts on your appearance day. It seems only a short time ago I was writing my offerings to you for your Vyasa Puja 2005. There is, this year, however a wonderful difference. This year, if it is Krishna’s desire, of course, we will be blessed with your presence home, here at New Goloka. This makes me very happy, and I am quite sure that many others share the happiness, as well. As you well know, in my life, I have been met with many obstacles, but no matter what tries to block my path, giving up is not an option. If anything else, it has made me stronger. It is my belief that Krishna sometimes throws us these blocks, to teach us a lesson, to test our faith, and to further strengthen our attachment to Him. More and more, each time, I come to the realization that we have to be more and more surrendered to Him, as He is the supreme controller. As I read more and more about what is means for a spiritual master to accept a disciple, I realize just how special you really are in my life. Your dedication to serving your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, making it your very life and soul is an inspiration to me. I don’t know how to explain it, but this inspiration is a driving force that steadily increases my desire to be engaged in devotional service more and more. The more I am engaged in serving you, Krishna, the devotees, and others, the happier I become.

I know so many times I have experienced a feeling of separation from you, when you have been gone from New Goloka to some other place or country. I remember you telling me, as long as I was engaged in devotional service, we would always be connected. I believe this, and sometimes even if you are not physically with me, it seems I feel your presence right there by my side. But there was this time in June of this year, the separation felt especially strong. I had been looking forward to seeing you all that month, waiting for your return. When that week finally arrived, due to responsibilities at work, I was unable to see a way to get there before you left again. I was sad, my heart was broken but still the desire was so strong to see you. I am not so sure that I prayed for something to happen, or if Krishna was fulfilling my unspoken desire, but all I do know, I had Krishna’s mercy and yours. You replied in an email, and told me you would be giving class Saturday, too. I was so happy. I started dancing all around the room. My mom was so happy to see me so happy. That Saturday, at the morning program, although it might have not been seen in the dim lighting of the room, tears overflowed from my eyes. These tears were not of sadness’, but happiness. I have been reading a book called, ” Sri Caitanya Mangala.” As I read through the pages, I read about when Narada was spreading the news about Krishna coming as the golden avatara, Lord Caitanya Mahapaprahbu in the age of Kali-yuga. Devotees were so happy about the Lord’s coming that they were sometimes crying, sometimes laughing and dancing in ecstasy. If we are to respect our spiritual master, as we would God, I feel it is ok or at least hope that is ok to have these same feelings, too for our spiritual master. All I can say is that, for me, myself personally, just having your association through your music, emails, in person and even the anticipation of getting your association, makes me really happy. It makes me laugh, cry, and yes; sometimes I dance around the room, too.

I have a lot more I could say, but I better stop here. I don’t do so well at expressing myself so much vocally, but please know that I feel so blessed that Krishna brought you into my life, with all my god brothers, god sisters, and the rest of my spiritual family and I love you. I pray that you always will allow me to serve you, and please forgive any offenses I might make along the way. That being said, Happy Vyasa Puja!!!!

Love,
Your eternal servant and daughter,
Damodara Priya dd

New Goloka, N.C.

 

 

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,

At first take my humble obeisance at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you.

Hare Krsna. Today is your Vyasa-Puja. A very auspicious day and very important for us. We are so glad and enthusiastic for offering Vyasa-puja , I would like to think what is called Vyasa puja. Some time ago I read in a Prabhupada lecture that the original spiritual master is Krishna. From Krishna, Brahmna was initiated. Srimad Bhagavatam says that when Brahma was created it was all darkness within the universe . He could not understand what is the purpose of his coming there. Then he engaged himself in tapasya and he was initiated from within. Krisna is within everyone. So it is called caitya guru, meaning guru within the heart.

Krisna is so merciful. When Krisna see that a living entity is very anxious to understand him or to receive the Krisna consciousness then Krisna gives him all opportunity, especially by manifesting himself as the spititual master. So the spiritual master is Krishna’s manifestation to help a person to develop his Krsna consciousness. To advance in Krsna consciousness we require two kinds of help one from Krsna and another from the spiritual master. In that way we found Spiritual Master.

So you are so kind to shelter us and take us as a free from darkness. We need to worship Sri Guru.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura says-“The worship of the guru has precedence over all others, the gurus to be served just as Krishna is served.”
In that way Gurus appearance day for us is such an auspicious day. That is why we celebrate Vyasa Puja.

We pray to your auspicious day that we can fully surrender to you with our devotion and begging to you to please engage us in any kind of your devotional service. At the end of the day we pray to Krishna for your good health and your long life.

Your eternal servants,
Dayananda
Satya
Vhakta Jishnu

Dallas, Tx.

 

 

nama om visnu-padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krishna das goswamin iti namine

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my most fallen obeisances at your lotus feet. It is by your mercy that you have come to liberate the fallen souls.

Gurudev you are the most pure of heart, expertly preaching love of godhead, assisting Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting and glorifying His holy names all over the world. Specially your unlimited mercy that this fallen conditioned soul has been awakened from darkest ignorance. I cannot ever think where l would be if I could not have found shelter of your lotus feet.

Gurudev, because of your mercy, my spiritual life is growing like a small plant. All of us devotees in Labasa are eagerly waiting for your darsana.

Once again please allow me to offer our humble obeisance at your divine lotus feet.

All glories, all glories, all glories to Srila Gurudev and Srila A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on this most auspicious day of your appearance.

Your servants always,
Devprastha Dasa
Kasturi D.D.
Damayanti D.D.
Bhakta Krishmal

Labasa, Fiji

 

Hare Krishna, my dearest Srila Gurudeva,

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

At this time of year, after reflecting upon everything that you have done, we are always reminded how fallen and small we really are. This morning in class you stated that it is by the mercy of the spiritual master that we obtain Krishna, and it is by the mercy of Krishna that we obtain the spiritual master; and that the spiritual master is the manifestation of Krishna’s intense desire to have the living entities return to Him. It would be so much easier for both guru and Krishna if we would just surrender and engage wholeheartedly in the service we have been given to avoid causing any further anxiety to either. I am praying to Krishna to give some determination to do this.

So how then, on this most auspicious day, can one even begin to glorify properly Sri Krishna’s pure devotee? I do know for a fact that it is only due to your mercy that we have been able to remain on the path back to His pure and loving service, in spite of the deep-rooted desire to enjoy–at whatever cost. Please help me to give up this mentality.

You stated in another class that the level of one’s advancement is measured by the amount of compassion that they have for the sufferings of the living entities. And seeing your level of advancement shows us what it is that we should strive to become in executing our own devotional service. You are the perfect acarya in that you would save everyone if they would but allow it. Please share with me but a drop of your compassion so that I may assist you with this endeavor.

You have assigned to me a certain service and it has, more so than ever before, recently become most important to get it done nicely for you if I can do nothing else. Please do not give up hope that someday I will be successful in carrying out your order.

I continue to boldly pray that you will please forgive my many offenses; that somehow, someday my service will be pleasing to you; that you will permit me eternal shelter at your lotus feet; and that I will become worthy of being called your disciple.

Yours eternally, in Sri Krishna’s service,
Danakeli dasi

Atlanta, Ga.

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to
You and to Srila Prabhupada. Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jay!!!

I am convinced that this auspicious day, Your Appearance day, is very important for the whole planet, because you are one of the pillars of Lord Caitanya’s movement in the present time. You are very dear to all and especially to us, your disciples. We will eternally be thankful to you for everything that you have done, for everything that you are doing and for everything that you will do in the future for such a fallen and difficult age.

I have been looking for a guru for a long time and I could not find one. But
now I know that this was so because I have not met you. As soon as I saw
You, I realized very quickly that You are my guru and that You will take care of such a fallen jiva. I am an insignificant candidate for becoming a devotee and your servant and what can I do? I can try to serve with a hope that at least one part of this service is good and useful. The ocean of material existence is vast and insurmountable and only by your mercy we can have some hope.

You are giving us example by your relationship to Srila Prabhupada how we have to be serious in spiritual mission and never get down on our knees. I hope that in the future I will be able to please you somehow, but for now I can only sincerely pray to You. I would like to spend some time in Your association, if that is at all possible.

At this auspicious day, if I have any spiritual credit, my sincere desire is
that you may spread this all auspicious, true, spiritual movement and that
there are no difficulties for You.

Your sincere, insignificant servant,
Dhirodatta das

Serbia

nama om vishnu padaya krishna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krishna dasa gosvamin iti namine

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

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Your Lotus feet.

When I was strolling on the road of Maya
And going by way of the City of Fear to the City of Death
You were the Sign which showed me the right way.

When I was drowning in the Ocean of Material suffering
You saved me by throwing me the Lifebelt of Faith.

When I am suffering by Birth, Old Age, Disease and Death
You give me the medicine in the form of the transcendental
Sound, the Maha-Mantra.

Whenever I needed guidance, You were there for me,
Like a lighthouse leads a ship safely to the harbor,
You lead me to Krishna, by the Grace of Srila Prabhupda.

Your eternal servant,
Dina Bandhu Dasa

 

 

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

namo hamsa nikashaya prabhupada priyayete
su-drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakhya ‘nuvadine

Dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to you, my spiritual master. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am very, very happy and grateful that you spend your time in Auckland while based at our house, thus giving us such a great opportunity to serve you. Thank you very much for this. Even though I am not qualified, you have been very merciful in giving my family and I this opportunity to serve you and now we have all become better and better under your loving guidance.

I wonder what I might have done to deserve this service and realize that it must be Krsna making arrangement for His son in an ideal location so as to facilitate his service, for I can see nothing that I have done. I hope that you are pleased with our efforts and will continue to bless us more and more so that we may all progress towards pure devotional service.

It is always very blissful serving you and then there’s such an emptiness when you leave. You have given all of us purpose and meaning in life.

Thank you very much for everything, especially for your association, which is personal and unique with each of us and in which we are all becoming more and more attracted to service.

Your servants,
Draupadi devi dasi,
Bhakta Ramendra,
Bhakta Krishan,
Bhakta Kunal

Auckland, New Zealand

 

Dear Srila Bir Krishna Maharaja,

Please accept our humble obeisances unto the dust of Your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to You, Srila Gurudeva,
Thou agreed to appear,
“You are not this body”,
Fallen souls must adhere,

All glories to You, Srila Gurudeva,
Thou agreed to appear,
Expressing concerns of phenomenal “Encounters”,
Thanks! Such literatures help us prepare,

All glories to You, Srila Gurudeva,
Thou agreed to appear,
Bestowing us with a glimpse of “Goloka”,
At a place so very near,

Thank you Srila Gurudeva,
For Thou hath agreed to appear

You had so wonderfully glorified Your eternal father, Srila Prabhupada in Your 2006 Vyasa Puja homage unto His lotus feet mentioning the special attributes of a father which Srila Prabhupada possess. Dear Maharaja, You are yourself exhibiting such symptoms and qualities of compassion in a fashion in sync with Your Divine Grace.

How fortunate are we to have a representative of Srila Prabhupada and of course of the spiritual world right here with us. Only by Your mercy, we are getting an opportunity to visit and serve a replica of Goloka which is so readily accessible.

We just recalled that You were present in our engagement (in Fiji), then again You agreed to be there on our wedding day and this year we will be blessed by Your divine presence at the Seemant Samskar of our child here at New Goloka. We humbly beg You to please accept this child as a servant of Your lotus feet and cultivate him/her to become a vibrant instrument in Srila Prabhupada mission.

We sincerely request You to please engage us in Your preaching mission
in anyway You consider us fit.

With much affection and love, we beg to remain,
Your fallen servants & children,
Dvaipayana dasa & Shraddhanjali dasi

 

nama on visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krishna das gowwamin iti namine

Dear Maharaj,

Please accept our most humble obeisances unto the dust of your divine lotus feet. All glories to you and all glories to your most auspicious Vyasa puja. All glories to Srila Prabhuapda. All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

Once again we fallen condition souls are trying to glorify you, whose glories are sung all over the three worlds, with our limited knowledge. We pray for your mercy and for the mercy of all the Vaisnavas so that we can duly glorify you.

Maharaj, tomara hrdoye sada govinda vishrama govinda kohena – mora vaisnava prana, Govinda, Krsna, resides in your heart, which is like Vrindavan, the eternal abode of Govinda. He stays there very blissfully and peacefully. He never leaves your heart.

Please keep us attached to the shelter of your lotus feet for you can make our hearts a suitable place for Krsna to reside.

Thank you Maharaj for your frequent visits to Suva, for your continued encouragement and causeless mercy, for the many opportunities to render service unto you and for showering unlimited kindness upon our whole family. We always relish your nectarian bhagavatam katha and the guitar nights which surcharge the atmosphere with spiritual bliss. We love cooking for your pleasure and good health and are eternally indebted to you for purifying our home and hearts with the dust of your lotus feet and your ever practical instructions and advice for our material and spiritual existence.

Thank you Maharaj for everything.

We pray to Sri Sri Radha Golokabiahriji to always protect you and give you good health so that you can continue to serve the mission of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya with ever renewed vigour and devotion.

We beg for a drop of your mercy so that one day we can also achieve but a spark of the love and devotion you have for Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Your servants,
Ghanashyam Das & Gurusharana dd (TKG)

Suva, Fiji

My dear spiritual uncle Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of Your lotus feet on this most auspicious day of Your Vyasa-puja. All glories to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada! All glories to all Prabhupadanugas, but especially to Your Holiness!

There are many wonderful qualities that You possess and which I find very attractive, but I would like to examine and expose a few, which I can notice in my conditioned and limited way.

First thing that comes to my mind when I think of You is Your selflessness and complete surrender to Your spiritual master. Everything You do is for Srila Prabhupada and His International Society for Krishna Consciousness. You are able to put in practice, what is unimaginable for me for now: to always fulfill the desire of the spiritual master. Because it is the time, when some of Your exalted Godbrothers left this planet, including my diksa guru Sridhar Swami, You kindly accepted so many neophyte nephews and nieces under Your shelter. There was no question for You to think that You have enough of Your own disciples and that more problems will come with new followers. By Your causeless mercy You honored me with Your association and love. I very much appreciate Your accessibility, even though I am too weak to take full advantage of it. I can always contact You and hear from You by e-mail. All this is impossible to be carried out by an ordinary man, but You are able to give Yourself to us because You love Srila Prabhupada so much and He reciprocates with You.

Another beautiful quality of Your Holiness is that You are a perfect teacher. You have the absolute knowledge and have an effective way to distribute it. Through Your seminars and lectures I can always obtain important and practical instructions. If I put them into my crippled devotional life I would always be successful. This year I very much enjoyed Your seminars at the summer camp in Croatia. You are a wonderful speaker and You love Your audience unconditionally. I can feel Your care and love, when I just think of You. You preach with Your example. You have a very strong sadhana that is never compromised. Thus Your spiritual knowledge is bold and clear. It is obvious that You are completely free from fear and situated in peace. If You will continue to guide me I will surely obtain peace in my heart also.

The last quality that I will try to elaborate on is Your simplicity and determination for maintenance of Your physical health, just to preach the knowledge of Krishna consciousness. Your diet is so strict that it would be impossible for me to follow it so easily and patiently for such a long time. Krishna blessed me with a little inconvenience considering my health, and now I have to carry out a strict diet if I want to get well. It is not even two weeks and my mind is so much disturbed with tasty prasadam that is forbidden for me to eat. Ultimately if we understand that nothing is here for our enjoyment and that at the time of death everything will be taken away from us, it is really crazy to be attached to anything or anyone in this world, except Krishna and His sincere devotees. You are a great inspiration in my spiritual life and I pray to receive Your amazing association and guidance for many many years that follow.

Thank You very much for including me in the service of Srila Prabhupada, although my service is defective and immature!

Trying to become an insignificant servant of Your servants,
Gandharvika dasi

Slovenia

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glores to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa puja.

I remember one of the first letters I wrote to you after you accepted me as your disciple, I wrote about how I had always changed my interests so easily, learning as much as I could about one thing, and then dropping it and moving on to the next, to learn as much as I could again before dropping it and moving on again – dancing, Japanese, scuba diving, yoga, singing, and the list goes on. I was worried that I would be the same with Krishna Consciousness and that I would learn a bit about Krishna, and then drop Him after a few years and go off to learn about something else.

In your reply, you said that when we focus our loving propensity on Krishna in a very deep way our connection becomes so firm that it will never be broken and explained to me the relationship between the devotee and the Holy Names. Then you wrote something that still melts my heart when I think of it. You said “Also, as your spiritual master I will make sure you never leave.”

That statement has become something of a mantra to me of late. Everyday life has been somewhat difficult being pregnant and trying to work and keep up my sadhana all at the same time. I can’t get up early every day because I don’t sleep well, and I can’t sit with our Deities and chant because I get serious back pain, and I can’t go to the temple because I can’t drive that far, so I don’t get very much devotee association at all, except for my husband.

I have to admit that sometimes it all seems like too much, and I want to give it all up and go back to karmi life where there’s no rules, no sadhana. They must have so much extra time to relax, to look after themselves, to lie back in the hammock and put their feet up so their swollen ankles can go back down.

So when its 8pm, and I’ve still got 8 rounds to chant, and all I can think about is getting to bed, and it seems all too easy to forget those rounds, and pretend I already did them, I remember the promise I made to you that I would chant 16 rounds every day and I have to keep going. But why does a promise to you mean so much to me when I’ve willingly broken promises I’ve made to other people with no remorse? Because of that statement “As your spiritual master I will make sure you never leave.” Because as my spiritual master, you have cared more for me, and given me more that any other person in my whole life. How can I ever disappoint you in such an obvious way when I know you will never ever disappoint me?

I hope you don’t mind if I chant in the hammock with my feet up…….

Your aspiring servant,
Gandharvika devi dasi

Australia

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to
Your Holiness.

Srila Gurudeva, during this auspicious occasion, I do not want to be left out in sending my best wishes and appreciation for your continued support
and involvement in my devotional life. Much has happened and much will go
unwritten but in whichever case I consider all this as your blessing. What
I can point out now is that under your shelter I have continued to observe
that the fear that used to take control of me is being defeated. This did
affect my service at the temple and I am ashamed because you knew all
along that this fear was unfounded. To this end I do think I need more
guidance as to how I can serve you better. What I have done so far is to annoy you.

I am happy because although I have been far you have continued to keep in
touch with me and I will always remain grateful for this.

This saying- out of sight out of mind- does not apply to you. Since you have been with me I have enjoyed my stay in Kenya very much and I am glad you have given
me another chance to come share with you my ups and downs. It is still tough to make ends meet here and devotees, especially the African devotees find it
difficult too. Looking ahead I see your merciful hand reaching out to them.

All said, let me wish you a happy Vyasa Puja!
Hare Krishna.
Gargamuni das

Dear Guru Maharaj,

All glories to Srila Guru Maharaj. All glories to Gaura-Nitai & Srila Prabhupada.

The Spiritual Master is always engaged in the temple worship of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. He also engages his disciples in such worship. We offer our respectful Dandvat Pranam to His Holiness Bir Krishna Maharaj, for helping us engage in the service of Sri Sri Radha Krishna & Gaura Nitai.

You Humble Servants,
Gauranga Das,
Samalalita Devi Dasi,
Sruta Kirti Devi Dasi

Lautoka, Fiji Islands

 

 

 

 

Happy Vyasapuja
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.
All glories to this most auspicious day of your Vyasapuja.

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

I would like to offer my most respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
According to our Vaisnava philosophy, the position of spiritual master is something natural that comes from Krsna, and not from some arrangement or decision one makes in this material world. It is Krsna who chooses to manifest Himself through a particular devotee to a particular aspirant. This occurs when the aspirant is truly serious, sincere, anxious!, about spiritual life.

Srila Gurudeva, I have not words to express my gratitude towards you, I feel so fortunate to have you as my spiritual father and as my inspiration in my spiritual life, to be a resident of New Goloka Dham is leaving a wonderful experience in this life time, to see you so dedicated to pleasing Srila Prabhupada, makes strong my desire to please you.

I am very thankful for having the opportunity to serve guru and Krsna, I did not have before the experience of serving Radha and Krishna deities and now that I got the opportunity it is just because of your causeless mercy.

Thank you for sharing with us the nectar of worshiping their Lordship Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

 

I wish that one day I can become a good disciple, please forgive all the mistakes I have done in the ejection of my devotional service.
Your insignificant servant,
Gaurangi Devi dasi
New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

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

Happy birthday to You!
I wish all the best for Your Vyasa Puja.

Your insignificant servant,
Giridhari das

 

 

nama om vishnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine

My Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you on the auspicious occasion of your Vyasa puja.

Gurudeva, it is your causeless mercy that I’m in Krsna Consciousnes. By your blessing, we are able to fight against maya and service Sri Sri Radha Golokabihari. It is only by the blessing of the Spiritual master that we can cross the material existence and obtain Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one can not make any spiritual advancement.

Gurudeva, you are one of the soldiers of Srila Prabhupada who is preaching Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s message and spreading Srila Prabhuupada’s movement.

On this auspicious day of your appearance, I pray to Sri Sri Radha Golokabihari and Radha Golokananda to give you good health and long life to preach and
spread this movement to the whole world. I pray for for your mercy and guidance in devotional service.

Your most fallen servant,
Gokula Bandhu Das

 

 

 

 

Dear Maharaja!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!
Thank you, for encouragement in the my spiritual life!
Hare Krishna…
Your servant,
Gokula Ranjana das

Estonia

Hare Krishna and please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to
Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you for everything Gurudeva. You have saved my life.

Your servant,
Gokulacandra das

 

 

 

Hare Krsna,

Please accept my respects. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to His Holiness Srila Bir Krsna das Goswami Gurudeva.

Oh Gurudeva, you are so merciful to me and helping me in Vedic knowledge, I am so fortunate to have you as my Gurudeva. With your blessing I am able to understand more and more about the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. Always longing to serve your Lotus Feet.

Thank you very much Gurudeva.

Your servant,
Gokulananda das

 

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

I could not express myself in writing how grateful and indebted I am to you. Thank you very much for encouraging me in my devotional life for the last 17 years. Your strong determination and perseverance motivate me in improving my service to the ISKCON movement.

Throughout the years you do not let politics budge you. You keep on your service to Srila Prabhupada as dutiful son.

You are so expert in studying the sastra and enlightening us in understanding why we have to stick in serving Sri Sri Radha Golokananda, tolerating all difficulties. You constantly remind us how miserable is this material life. We can be only be happy by getting out of this world and engage in loving service to Krsna.

I remembered due to my personal challenges in life I wanted to run away. I was praying to the Deities what should I do? Just before departure to a long trip, you happened to come to have darshan of their Lordships. You saw me and said “You should stay here and serve Sri Sri Radha Golokananda, you got your name after the Deities”. I felt that their Lordship had spoken through you. These words have stuck in my mind. Whenever I get discouraged in my service due to politics and misunderstanding, you are always there to encourage me. You assured me that my service is valuable. I felt immediately free from doubt and enthusiastic.

I am so excited that you are working and pushing to build a better home for your dearmost Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. Only you can experdite the construction of the new upcoming temple, because you have so much faith in Krsna. You are empowered by Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you very much Srila Gurudev again for being so caring and concerned and always being there for me. Please forgive my offenses. I beg to remain your eternal servant. I always feel very safe around you. You are very supportive and trustworthy spiritual master.

Your servant,
Golokananda Priya devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humblest obeisances in the dust of Your Lotus Feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Your Divine Grace!

Wow, what a difference a year can make, Srila Gurudeva. Last year, You told me that my going to Vrindavan would be akin to a bull in a china shop. Yet this year, You gave me some encouragement to serve in the Holy Dhama, and by Your infinite mercy, I’ve actually been assigned some real service there.

I can’t properly express how much I appreciate this unbelievable and undeserved opportunity You’ve allowed for me, but I want to clumsily attempt to thank You nonetheless.

I’m such a wretch, that even under normal circumstances for normal people, I won’t even bring my sadhana to the most basic human level. But being patita-pavana, You even provide mercy for a monkey like myself to perform service to You in the Holiest of Holy Dhamas, Sri Vrindavan.

I confess, Srila Gurudeva, that I’m scared and anxious that I don’t commit any offenses there, not only for my own well-being, but as You’ve mentioned to me, any offenses will reflect upon You as my Guru. The fact that You trust me even one iota to be there to serve Krishna means more than I can say.

However, I will miss You immensely, and even though when You read this, I’ll be in Lord Krishna’s Own Abode, I will be heartbroken that I can’t be with You there at New Goloka during Your Appearance Day celebration.

I know that I’ve taken You for granted throughout the years, thinking, “My Gurudeva will always be there. I can see Him whenever I like.” Now Krishna is smashing my foolish attitude. Your association, especially at New Goloka, is not an ordinary thing. Many exalted souls throughout creation don’t have such an opportunity, yet You so freely give Yourself to even those of us who are so fallen. Your mercy and compassion can’t be measured.

Please forgive all my myriad offenses, and please allow me to continue to have Your association and serve You eternally.

Praying for your association always, we remain…

Your unworthy servant,
Gopal das

Vrindavan, India

 

Hare Krishna Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you and your service.

This year, all I have to offer are my apologies. I’m so wrapped up in my own life, that I have let my devotional life fall behind. I wish I came to the temple more, I wish I could serve you more. I hope in the coming year, I can do those things, and until then, I hope you can forgive me for my lack of involvement.

Thank you for always encouraging our family in our service, even when so many people think it is impractical. And thank you for supporting my husband in his musical abilities. And thank you for being a grandfather to our boys. Most of all, thank you for your sense of humor. You make coming to the temple fun.

Your servant,
Gopal Nandini dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

To my dear most Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to your lotus feet. All glories to our dear most Srila Prabhupada.

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

namo hamsa-nikashayaprabhupada-priyaya te
su-dridha-shuddhi-nishthabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
shrimate bhaktivedanta- svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi- pashcatya-desha-tarine

It is with deep respect that I wish you a wonderful Vyasa-puja, on this most auspicious day in all the worlds.

As we are learning there are so many doors that open and close within a lifetime and over many lifetimes, but with Krsna consciousness this process is changed from material to spiritual, forever. The greatest and most precious gift we receive in taking up a spiritual life in Krsna consciousness is the receiving of, and acceptance by, a bona fide guru. Nothing else in life matters as much as this relationship and nothing else can compare to the results of such a surrendered life.

We are so short of the mark, yet desire to be purified to be able to preach to the suffering souls bound within this material world. So in your most precious words we take shelter. In your instructions we find the only air able to fill our lungs to full capacity, and in this reciprocation we find solace and protection.

There is no life outside of this. All else is numbed, muted and catatonic – immersed in material concept. It is lifeless. The life line we receive through the spiritual master’s mercy is like Mother Yasoda’s rope, and can bind us to our true purpose. It can provide the perfect length with which to be free to serve Krsna, and becomes taut when we begin to stray.

“Following the instructions formerly given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead the King anchored the boat to the fish’s horn, using the serpent Vasuki as a rope. Thus being satisfied, he began offering prayers to the Lord.”

“The King said: By the grace of the Lord, those who have lost their self-knowledge since time immemorial, and who because of this ignorance are involved in a material, conditional life full of miseries, obtain the chance to meet the Lord’s devotee. I accept that Supreme Personality of Godhead as the supreme spiritual master.”

“In hopes of becoming happy in this material world, the foolish conditioned soul performs fruitive activities that result only in suffering. But by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one becomes free from such false desires for happiness. May my supreme spiritual master cut the knot of false desires from the core of my heart.” (SB 8.24. 45-47)

Dear most Srila Gurudeva, we continually beg, pray and hope for service at your lotus feet. May it never end no matter the duration of each life, and go deep into the spiritual world as well. May our faith continue to grow, and may our service continue to depths never perceived by material understanding.

With deep love, affection and respect, we offer our obeisances at your singing lotus feet hundreds and thousands of times.

Your eternal aspiring servant and daughter,
Gopi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

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 bhu-tale
srimate bir krsna das gosvamin iti namine
namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyayate
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanu vadine

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

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

I was always wondering how my personal guru is giving knowledge in a practical way, since all the spiritual instructions we are anyway getting from His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada’s books. Of course, we can hear many lectures from which we can hear many stories and understand philosophical issues. Yet in this way I only had the understanding that the contact with personal Guru was more or less a formality. As it is said though, “With the torchlight of knowledge guru can open disciple’s eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance. Being in ignorance means practically being in anxiety. This year I got a clear understanding of how guru can deliver a disciple from a great ignorance. Before you came to Finland this Summer my mind was in great anxiety because of being so much absorbed in matter. My mouth was drying up, my face was grave and pale and breathing was like I was waiting for death. I was thinking, “What good is there for me in this life anymore?” I was feeling like my mind was being pressed by a squeezer. But then you came. You saw my bad condition and looked at me with compassion. Just that one evening’s association with you started to open my mind blocks and I was feeling great relief from my anxiety. I was happy again.

A devotee’s heart has to be soft. Otherwise how can a devotee learn to love Krishna? My softheartedness has just been incomplete because it was also directed to material affairs too much. Krishna is giving me a great lesson now about how and to what purpose softheartedness should be used. I feel very fallen just because I’m not able to say no now if somebody needs a big help. Sounds a little strange, but it’s true that one should always be very careful where Krishna’s desire is met and where it is surpassed even with helping those who need help. I am trying to learn this lesson now, so kindly help me and give me intelligence to understand your instructions.

Your humble servant,
Gopinath das

Vantaa, Finland

 

 

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

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

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

On the occasion of your Vyasa-puja please accept my offering and most humble obeisences! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to your divine self!

Somehow, these days I am so happy that I know who I am, that I am not anymore a street dog without a master, that my life is not a disaster. Please Gurudev, be merciful to this strange vegetarian dog by giving him transcendental foodstuffs in the form of your instructions!

Somehow, these days I am so happy that I have your association and the association of Srila Prabhupada and devotees because I can see that my material consciousness little by little is vanishing. Please Gurudev, be merciful to this strange vegetarian dog by giving him transcendental foodstuffs in the form of your instructions!

Somehow, these days I am so happy that I can distribute transcendental literature to the other animals like myself on the street, caring no more for their barking and nice singing. Please Gurudev, be merciful to this strange vegetarian dog by giving him transcendental foodstuffs in the form of your instructions!

Somehow, these days I am so happy that I can go out on harinam and chant the holy name with devotees and with another animals, because the woods become more scented and peaceful. Please Gurudev, be merciful to this strange vegetarian dog by giving him transcendental foodstuffs in the form of your instructions!

Somehow, these days I am so happy because the movement of Lord Caitanya is spreading all over the world, and that will be no more barking mood. Somehow this dog is so happy because he can give all of his faith in your divine lotus feet. Please Gurudev, be merciful to this strange vegetarian dog by giving him transcendental foodstuffs in the form of your instructions!

Your fallen doglike disciple,
bh. Gordan

Slavonski Brod, Croatia

 

 

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

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

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

I’m your eternal humble servant. You saved my life, and for that reason I’m so grateful on this so special day of celebrating your Sri Vyasa-puja.
Oh, what a special day!

I suffer for not being able to stay at your side now, sheltered at your lotus feet.
With your beautiful songs, you fill our afflicted hearts with love.
With your sweet singing, you bring love to our hearts.
With your sweet smile, you transport us to Goloka-Vrindavana.

With your lovely attention to the fallen ones, you save us from our miseries.
Your dedication to your Guru-maharaja – our beloved Srila Prabhupada –
makes us understand the meaning of the spiritual-master.

Sri Krishna was so benevolent to my life, that he gave me the great gift of knowing you, Bir Krishna das Goswami Gurudeva, even you being miles and miles distant from me. Your causeless mercy was so grandiose to me that you accepted me as your siksha-disciple, and you give me so much attention that I cry at every e-mail I receive from you.

I sincerely hope to be able to, one day, thank you in some manner and show you how much you were and are important to my life. No sentimentalism, but true love, dedication and shelter. Your instructions by letter, in your books and in your recorded classes, fill me with inspiration. I thank each word that you dedicate to me, this poor fallen soul.

Your example assures us that we are in the right path. I humbly pray that you eternally accept me at the shelter of your lotus feet.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.

You saved my life, and that life, and all the others lives that will
come, are my gift to you at this special day.

From you eternal small servant,
Gourasundar Dasa BhS

Sao Paulo – Brazil

 

Verses to Krishna (Gourasundar Das)

Oh dear Krishna, may I ever have You as my daily meditation.
In an Age of so many opportunities… I want just Yours.
Your flute, Your hair, Your eyes, Your feet…
What else could I wish?

If You shed only a drop of the nectar of Your pastimes in my mind,
nothing more will matter… only You.
Your pastimes, Your clothes, Your gazes, Your steps…
We don’t want anything else!

Oh, how beautiful You are arriving at the forest of Vraja, walking
silently.
Birds singing near and far… but only Your vision matters.
Your movements, Your jewels, Your gestures, Your limbs…
That is all we wish!

If you give me a little of the dust from Vraja, from Gokula, from Your
lotus feet,
I will be ready, ready to abandon all the rest… and only enjoy You.
Your smell, Your bouquet, Your perfume, Your divine fragrance…
Nothing else matters!

Oh dear Govinda, why do You leave this poor soul so distant from You,
so far away.
I almost die from love… It would be better to die instead of loosing
you.
Your eternal love, Your divine mercy, Your loves, Your beloved ones,
I just want You!

Bir Krishna das Goswami Gurudeva, Ki, Jaya !!!

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

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

I have to admit, when I first came into contact with devotees, the philosophy is not what won me over. Of course, I was attracted to the lifestyle, the scents and sounds, the mystical appearance of the devotees and the unique experience of the temple, but the philosophy didn’t play a huge part in drawing me in. I read some books over the next couple years, but the knowledge they imparted really didn’t do it for me, completely. What I was most attracted to was the devotees.
When I began contemplating moving in to the temple, I still hadn’t even read the Bhagavad-Gita in its entirety. The philosophy was still as distant to me as any others I had studied, be they Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism or one of the other isms. But, there was a book called “Srila Prabhupada: He Built a House in Which the Whole World Could Live”, and that book changed everything.

It wasn’t the philosophy, the lifestyle, the culture, the friendliness of the devotees. It wasn’t any of that. I joined ISKCON because of the way Srila Prabhupada inspired me. Through his selfless actions, his fierce determination and his complete and utter faith in Krsna, he showed me how to find God.

So, here I am now, some years later; a disciple of His Holiness Bir Krsna das Goswami. I’ve managed to write an offering which, up to now, has basically been a nice little story about myself. A better disciple may have been able to launch right into the glorification of his spiritual master, with no mention of himself, and I wish I was on that level. Instead, I have to write a whole pile of “I, Me and Mines” to get to the point, which is this:

Just as I need Srila Prabhupada to show me Krsna, I need you to show me Srila Prabhupada. It isn’t the temples, the festivals, the kirtans or the institution of ISKCON that keep me enlivened. I remain a devotee only because of the way you inspire me. The faith and determination that I saw in Srila Prabhupada’s actions is the same that I see in yours. Your commitment to Srila Prabhupada and your willingness to fight for him and his ISKCON is, to me, the perfect example of Krsna Consciousness.

So, on this glorious Vyasa-Puja, I offer you my sincere thanks and gratitude, for giving me an example to live by. You are giving me Srila Prabhupada. How can I repay even the smallest fraction of that?

Your servant, forever,
Govardhana das

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisance, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This will be our seventh year since we came to New Goloka. Many things in our community have changed since then but one thing is for sure, you are still enthusiastically preaching day after day and steadily serving your beloved spiritual master Srila Prabhupada. I wanted to tell you how happy I was this year when I saw you dancing and singing ecstatically during Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day. I felt very emotional and wanted to cry thinking about all the devotees who left ISKCON (especially those who I personally know), but at the same time seeing you I felt great hope in my heart. I am confident that as long as there are determined and pure devotees on this planet, Srila Prabhupada’s savior ship will keep marching through the waves of this Material Ocean, taking fallen souls back home to Krishna. You are a wonderful Vaisnava always concerned with the well being of others and you have dedicated your whole life and soul to the mission of your guru. You are continuously searching for new ways and means to present transcendental knowledge according to time, place and circumstance and you are always dependent on Krishna.

On this most auspicious day I would like to pray that I may become more qualified and capable of assisting you in your service. I pray for a chance to do something meaningful that will please you. If my desire becomes fulfilled and I gain a speck of your mercy I will consider my life to be most successful.

Your servant,
Govinda Das

New Goloka, N.C.

Dear Gurudeva,

We have been so fortunate the last few years to be able to host you at our
home and serve you at Vancouver Ratha Yatra. Those few days sustain us
through out the year. In separation we follow your activities online,
listen to your lectures, and have a few email or online conversations. But
still, we start looking forward to your next visit from the moment you leave
us.

Our whole family loves to have your association. You inspire all three
generations to want to become more Krsna Conscious.

Begging to remain your servants,

Govinda Gopal das, Dhanistha Devi Dasi, and Srivas das
Vancouver, Canada

 

Dear Gurudev,
Please accept my most prostrated obeisances unto your divine lotus feet, which is the source of your causeless mercy. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to our dearest spiritual master and all glories to your auspicious appearance day.

On your auspicious appearance day, we pray to lord Krishna to that we may please you always because this is the secret of making spiritual advancement and you are always doing your best to please Srila Prabhupada. The spiritual masters are the dearest servants of the Lord. And in glorifying him is glorifying the Lord. This has been confirmed by all the revelatory scriptures and all the sages follow it. So dear Gurudev, your glories are spread all thought the three worlds. In this age which is full of darkness and argument, your appearance is so merciful like the sun is shining all over Labasa. If one wants to continue the spiritual practice and go home back to godhead, than there is no other way except for the shelter at your divine lotus feet.

We cannot forget the days last year when we had an opportunity to celebrate your Vyasa puja here in Labasa with you. It is the deepest in our memory. We thank you with all our heart for accepting us as your disciples. We are fortunate that you gave us an opportunity to serve you. Your exemplary life is example enough for us to become fixed up in our Krishna consciousness.

As we celebrate your Vyasa puja this year we would to make a vow to surrender unto your lotus feet again. Your eternal loyalty to Srila Prabhupada shakes up all and your spotless life shakes the whole world. May you be ever healthy and have a very long life.

Your servants,
Hanuman dasa
Param Karuna D Dasi
Vrinda D Dasi

Labasa, Fiji

 

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada!
Todas las glorias a Radha-Krsna!
Todas las glorias A mi Maestro Espiritual Bir Krisna Maharaja Goswami!

Por favor acepteme mis más respetuosas reverencias a Sus Pies de Loto.

Todos estos años otoñales, me hace recordar Su aparición y la relación
muy estrecha con Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada estaba ahí sentado en un Vyasasam muy opulento , era de noche y los rayos de la luna iluminaba la habitación, estaba el
kirtan en todo su apogeo ambientando el lugar transcendentalmente.
Usted, como fiel siervo de Su Maestro Espiritual, estaba a su lado,
tocando los kartalos.

El lugar era hermoso, de colores muy brillantes eran blancos y azulosos de variedad de matices tipo metálico. ¡ Era el mismo mundo Espiritual! ¡Prabhupada brillaba y usted con él!.

!Qué bello sueño, tuve esa vez el más maravilloso sueño. Cuando ya iba a recibir mi primera iniciación! !Hari, hari, hari, bol!

om ajñana-timirandhasya jñanan jana salakaya
caksur unmilitan yena tasmai sri gurave namah

sri caitanya -namo-bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale
svayam-vipah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam

Su fiel Sirviente,
Hladini Sakti d.d.

Mexico

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my prostrated obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your association and your instructions are the life-line of my progress in Krishna consciousness. By serving your lotus feet, I have the opportunity to demonstrate to the Supreme Lord, that I really want to be His servant of His servants. Your causeless mercy is my only hope for my deliverance from this miserable world even though I don’t deserve to be delivered.

You are very kind friend and compassionate to everyone. Your personality reflects all the symptoms of a pure Vaisnava as described in the scripture.

Your idea of sharing Krishna consciousness instead of ‘preaching’ is very effective as it is relevant to the individuals understanding and provide solution to the individuals problem in a very personal way according to time, place and circumstance. This is best way to spread Krishna consciousness globally.

I thank you deeply from my heart to allow me to be one your favorite servants. Please always keep me at your lotus feet.

With lots of love from,

Your insignificant servant and son,
Hrishikesh Das

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Srila Bir Krsna Maharaja,

Please accept our humble obeisances at your saintly feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

There is so much to say about your purity and virtues, and of course about the great work you are doing for pleasing Your dear Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna and about your complete surrender to the orders of your beloved Gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada. Unfortunately that is about the realm of the understanding of poor fallen souls like us, so that we would like to humbly and in a superlative way thank You because You have always been so kind and merciful toward us, although we are so unqualified.

Thank You again and again for Your pure example and Mercy.

Your servants in Leòn Guanajuato Mèxico,
Iksvaku das, Madhavi dd, Govardhana das and Govinda dd

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Guru Maharaj,

All glories to Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Srila Prabhupad. Thanking you Maharaj, for your sweet affection for us. We are very fortunate to have your personal association whenever you come to Fiji.

On this day of your Holy Appearance we thank you for giving us your guidance.
Sri Sri Krishna Kaliya Bhagwan Ki Jai.

Your humble servants
Indra Nuja Das
Raj Vidya Dasi

Lautoka,Fiji Islands

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Once, while telling me about your service you described it thus: “I like to speak about Krishna. I like helping devotees and doing little creative things for the website.” This is coming from you, who are the Guru of five hundred disciples and a leader in a worldwide movement. You have reached such a level that you are able to be so at ease with your responsibilities that you can describe your activities as “Little creative things for the website.” This gives great relief to my heart. You are helping others more and more effectively.

You are a very kind person. A perfect transparent vie medium for Krishna. You also have Lord Caitanya’s mercy. You are manifesting His desire on Earth that there be souls coming to Krishna Consciousness. You have started the first Loft project in America (Supersoul Yoga). You have equipped and empowered a team of devotees to deliver a range of quality services to bridge the gap between us and the non-devotees. This gives great delight to my heart. If it were not for you I would suffer a deep sense of failure. I grab hold of your feet. You are creating many, many empowered preachers.

All glories to Gurudeva! Srila Gurudeva ki jaya!

Your servant,
Jagadguru das

New Goloka, NC

 

 

Vyasa Puja Hip Hop

I’d like to rap the praise of BK Goswami
His mercy is like a spiritual Tsunami.
I put this tune in the form of hip hop;
So let’s get started, let’s go chop chop.

He’s a Foremost disciple of Srila Prabhupada
Teaching the world just how to love God.
He’s here, he’s there, he’s everywhere you see,
Filling the world with transcendental ecstasy.

He’s the savior of the wicked and the most Fallen
He could save dudes like Hitler, Bush, and Stalin.
Its a war against Kali, we’re calling all reservists
To fight Maya’s agents with devotional service.

The recommended way to navigate this Kali Yuga
Is to follow your lead, become a Gurudevanuga.
I wish I had an ounce of your determination
My anarthas would be killed, complete extermination.

Pillar of New Goloka
Master of the Sloka
Heart of Mother Theresa
Smile of Mona Lisa
Courage of a Lion
Dance like a Hawaiian
Though he is a great sannyasi
He’s as Sweet as mango lassi

When we all lived in the Temple
Life was good and o’ so simple
Now we’re busy raising children
And our homes we are a’buildin’

We can’t give you much money, ain’t got no bling bling
But we’ll try to aid your mission, one day we’ll go and sing
On this most blessed event, all we can really think of
Is to send you our well wishes and all of our Love.

I think on that note, this tune will have to end
Here’s to you, our well wisher and world’s Best friend.
Your aspiring servant,
Jagannath Dasa

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glory to Srila Prabhupada. All glory to Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. All glory to Your Divine Grace on this most auspicious day.
Your association continues to deeply inspire us as we endeavor to serve the Lord. Through our regular Bhakti Yoga practice, we are bringing people closer to Lord Krishna. As we expand Quiet Mountain Sanctuary over the coming year to include additional services, we hope to reach as many individuals as possible. By providing a place to bring people together in Krishna’s name, we are making a difference not only in their lives but in our lives as well. It is through fine association with devotees and a Guru such as yourself that we grow strong in the light of God’s love. We owe you much Gurudeva. We ask that you bless us and pray for us as we grow in Krishna’s service. Thank you for your shining example and for paving the way. Wishing you a very Happy Appearance Day!
Your servants in the service of the Lord,
Jahnavi Devi Dasi and Alfonse Pinto
New York, USA

 

 

 

Jai Srila Gurudeva!

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

Sri-Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhradra are keeping me at Their Lotus Feet though my consciousness is ever in maya.

Here’s one of my favorite pictures of you in the Holy Dhama.

Best wishes as always!

Your worthless servant,
Jamuna devi dasi

Siler City, N.C.

 

Dear Gurudeva,

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

Looking back at my life, I realized that I have a history of being rejected by different authority figures. Not that I am traumatized by it, just a fact. Against this background the fact that you have accepted me stands out in a very particular way in my mind. I always felt alienated from many of the aspects of the Krishna-conscious culture. Hearing about the lives of the devotees in the past in India as well as in present-day ISKCON made me feel that I don’t belong. I cannot make it.

You have taken up the role of guiding me despite my shortcomings. I have
been wondering why is that. I concluded that the answer is found in the nature of a great devotee. One characteristic of a great soul is that he doesn’t see faults in others. This may mean that a saintly person is not looking for faults. Further it means that even being confronted by a fault in another person, a saintly person sees good qualities. And even if there is almost no good quality, the great soul magnifies that small good quality and sees it as a virtue.

My experience is that you are such a great soul. Even though it is the duty of a spiritual master to chastise the disciple, you just concentrate on the positive. As far as I am concerned, I have felt in a very real way that you have ignored my faults, many as they are, and fanned whatever distantly positive there may have been. As a matter of fact, whatever service I have been able to perform, has been brought about by your encouragement and support alone. Even without any qualification on my own, by coming in contact with you, I have been able to hang on to the path of devotion. Besides these personal reflections, I find that you see the world in such a way all the time – seeing no fault in others, becoming
enthusiastic by almost non-existent good qualities, and enthusing and
encouraging others to actually develop virtues.

I have been very fortunate having come in contact with you.

Your servant,
Jayananda das

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your divine lotus feet. All glories to the divine and holy occasion of your appearance!

When I think of bhakti, I think of you. You are divine love for Krishna in action. From my limited vision I see no boundaries to your mercy. Somehow we all qualify, how amazing is that! In all respects you are seeing to the welfare of countless souls throughout the world, America, Croatia, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Serbia, UK, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, just to name but a few.

This last year, in the Gulf Coast region of the US , you arranged for appropriate food, water, shelter, and medical care for the lot of us. This was done under the stressful situation of limited communication resources from downed power lines, phone lines, cellular towers, highways, bridges, and roads, still you persevered. By your desire, the devotees of this region expanded the sharing of prasadam and Hari Nama.

You accomplished all of this in the most personal manner. You personally see to it that no one is left out, even if it means you must personally go there to see that that happens. There is no material comfort that impedes you from doing so. You placed our need for food, water, shelter, sleep, and medical care before your own. This is bewildering to me. I am humbled and bewildered by the power of your austerity. The world is full of so-called kind people, and generous people, and noble people, and courageous people. You possess all these qualities and more. You are truly selfless and Krishnafull (if you allow me to make up a word). Only one who has Krsna’s love may give that love to others. Your talks are ever about spreading Krishna ‘s glory around the world, down to the smallest of details.

I know no one that walks their talk as well as you. There are many armchair philosophers who theorize about the meaning of God’s love. Instead, you give God’s love, and by your example teach others how to give God’s love, also. There is no doubt when it comes to you that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Whoever, comes in contact with you, enjoys and enjoys the experience of Krishna , the Supreme Personality of Godhead with all their senses. You deftly guide us to Krishna ‘s Lotus Feet, minimizing our own protests. Loudly and clearly we can hear you exclaim, “Eat prasadam, chant, and be free!” Little do we know, that contained within those 6 words are the keys to all our desires and eternal happiness.

 

 

vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca,
patitanam, pavanebhyo vaishnavebhyo, namo namah

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaishnava devotees of the world. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill all the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.”

Hare Krsna!

Your fallen and conditioned daughter,
Jayasri dasi

New Orleans/ New Sankirtana Puri

 

 

To My Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this auspicious day.

The inspiration you give me is to be a perfect devotee. Sometimes it is difficult to be in this material world.

The guidance to enter a spiritual world can only come from a spiritual teacher, as you are.

I am only a servant to you, wanting to please you to the best that I can. I hope the journey throughout this material life is made easy by serving you. Hopefully enabling me one day to enter the spiritual world, serving you and Krishna.

I would like my existence to change for a improvement in the next few lives so I can reach perfection. Possibly to be more and more like you, just as Srila Prabhupada has for you. I can only aspire in this material world to be like you.

Your Servant
Bhakta Joe Valensise

Sydney, Australia

 

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 father,
Please accept my most respectful obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to You on this most auspicious day of your appearance!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

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

I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.

I read that Srila Prabhupada said that we all suffer due to our ignorance and that the spiritual master can enlighten his disciples with the light of knowledge.

He said, that just like we can not get out of a cave without the light of a torch we can not get out of suffering in the material world without knowledge, which can be obtained from the spiritual master.

That is why, Srila Gurudeva, I thank You a thousand times! Thank You for kindeling a little light in my heart so that it is easier for me to walk on the path of devotion.

I admire Your faithfulness, purity and determination in repeating Srila Prabhupada’s message.

Srila Gurudeva, please teach me how to become a good servant, so that I can follow and serve my spiritual master faithfully, the way You follow and serve Srila Prabhupada.

Happy birthday! I wish You all the best,

Your eternal daughter and servant
Kamala Manjari devi dasi

Slovenija

 

Happy birthday!
I miss you when you traveling.
Your servant,
Kapila

Happy birthday!
Your Servant,
Rasaraja

New Goloka, N.C.

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. Please accept these flower garlands
around your neck, this offering of jaal and petals at your feet, and my repeated prostrations.

“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”. from the Sri Ramacharitamanasa

Please allow me to sincerely thank you and to say that you are undoubtedly the nicest, kindest person that I know. Rupa Prabhu said that you are “a very approachable personality. He would make friends even with the newest and most insignificant devotee”, and this seems to be what you have done to me. The first night I met you, you became my friend. You even offered you hands in prayer to me when you glanced at me for the first time, and allowed me to render service unto you by having me play the guitar so that you could fully engage in your beloved spiritual dancing. I hope that you will call on me to accompany you on any instrument any time that you need it though out your life, as it is very pleasing to serve you and to be near you.

Actually I think you have obtained the quality of Krsna, of being the most attractive personality (besides Him), as I can sit and gaze at you for the longest time, everything you say is so funny, nice, and pleasing. And the best part is that you are so kind and natural that I never feel as though I have to do anything at these times, sitting in awe and feeling very blissful from your glowing radiant personality.

Really you saved me. You allowed me to come traveling in Fiji with you and you have treated me like a princess. Your encouragement to do book distribution has made my entire life now complete. In fact I have emailed you many times and you have said that book distribution is to be my only service, and that you, and no temple president, is my ISKCON authority, a dream come true. Imagine if I was still in Sydney, the kind of suffering I might be having. You are really an ocean of compassion, and I thank you with all of my heart.

Since following your instructions I have seen 12 different deities, and have been traveling constantly. This has helped me to cut off so many attachments, and be so focused more on sadhana and a completely spiritual life. You even once said that you should get me a danda. Instead it seems I am getting a husband. By following your advice and coming to New York I have made a lot of progress and been able to distribute many books, make great association, as well as have the auspicious mercy of Lord Jagannatha in four Ratha Yatra festivals. Although Gurudeva, I truly feel that sitting at your lotus feet is actually the seat of all
auspiciousness, and I just pray that you will accept me as your initiated disciple and that I will be able to render loving service to you for all my days.

Some gurus appear as Sukadeva Goswami on the Vyasasana, though I havehad the realization that you appear more like Jerry Seinfield, much to the delight of your disciples. I really want to thank you for opening my heart to the beauty of the society of Vaisnava devotees, and especially to comment that if you can tell how good a man is by the company he keeps, then you are the best, as your disciples are the most lovely, wonderful people, who have inherited your kindness. Thanks for having me as a part of your family, here in Hillsborough, Fiji, and Australia.

My favorite stories you have told are the following. When you were on TSKP, you used to get a bit lazy with sadhana, for example, you would offer prayers to the entire supermarket and claim that the whole place was now prasadam. To do better sadhana when in TSKP, you used to have mangala arati in a laundry mat, with many brahmacaris dancing around a picture of the Pancha-tattva and surprising the early morning washers! And when your mother came to visit you the first time at the temple, you were so fanatical about maha-prasadam, that she caught you licking some which had spilled, directly off the floor, and with you on your hands and knees in this activity, she thought “oh my son has gone mad!”

Please accept my obeisance’s Gurudeva, on this auspicious day of your appearance. I also remember you saying that you would eat every part of the remnants you could get from Srila Prabhupada, including his orange peel. May I be in bliss eating your artichoke and avocado peels for all my days.

With love from your humble servant,
Bhaktin Katherine

 

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaja,

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

I was just listening to a tape of you from Helsinki in August 1998 when you came to Finland after the fall of Srila Harikesa Swami to help us out in our bewilderment and confusion. What you said was as applicable today as it was then and I realized that actually the supersoul was speaking through you.

I remember how you were speaking with everyone that wanted to see you from morning to evening tirelessly without any breaks. You were fully engaged without any rest and I was wondering and waiting to see how much you could take before you would say that this is enough.

But that time never came and I have seen during the past years how you are tirelessly going on in the same mood as then helping others without any concern for yourself. You are taking on more and more responsibilities and there seems to be no limit to how much you take on yourself in order to please Srila Prabhupada.

Your love for Srila Prabhupada is your driving force and it is the sustenance of your life.

I wish that you would rest sometimes so that you will not go on like a kamikaze and go back to Krishna untimely.

This ISKCON movement that is so dear to Srila Prabhupada needs devotees like you serving the mission without any selfish interests and I pray that Krishna will bless us with your association in many years to come.

Please forgive me for not having been able to reciprocate with your compassion by sharing it with others and forgive me for treating you in a familiar way without proper Vaisnava conduct.

I pray that I may some day assist in serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

Happy appearance day to you.

Your insignificant servant,
Keshava Madhava dasa

Finland

 

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

namo hamsa nikashaya prabhupada priyayete
su-drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakhya ‘nuvadine

Dearest Father,

I beg you to please accept my most unworthy obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories, all glories, all glories to you dearest father. All glories to Srila Gurudev and Srila Prabhupad.

You are an extremely dedicated and faithful son of your guru, having given your life in the service of Srila Prabhupad and in propagating his mission of spreading Krsna Consciousness all over the world. It is indeed a soul chosen by Krsna who can walk away from wealth as you have. You are one of the “Chosen Ones” who Krsna has sent with a specific plan to attract more and more souls to Krsna Consciousness. I can see that Krsna is reciprocating with your mood of service and surrender more and more and thus increasing your field of preaching to more areas of the world and increasing the number of souls under your able guidance. Of course, this means that Srila Prabhupad is immensely pleased with your endeavor.

You are sharing Krsna Consciousness and thus serving Srila Prabhupad in a systematic manner, rather than haphazardly, just how Srila Prabhupad wanted and has stated as the first mission of ISKCON. You have put in immense thought and effort to meet this objective and are serving under the rules and regulations of the scriptures. A small example would be the use of the word “sharing” rather than “preaching” as the third word in this paragraph- you have realized that the word “preaching” has negative connotations in today’s liberal-minded world and would offend some people, therefore, you have adopted the word “sharing ” instead. And its not only a change of vocabulary, its the actual approach that you take with all people to share rather than preach. It is this expertise to adapt with the changing times that will keep ISKCON moving forward and keep attracting people to become devotees. I can see that you are enforcing scriptural injunctions according to time, place and circumstance, just as Srila Prabhupad did, and in so doing, you are again pleasing Srila Prabhupada so much.

You ensure that your service is under the spectrum of the scriptures and rigidly so, so that it is pleasing to Srila Prabhupad and Krsna. Your faithfulness makes your service extremely potent and a great example to me. You know that service done in the name of devotion outside the jurisdiction of the scriptures is simply a disturbance to society and adhere strictly to sastric injunctions. This again is exactly how Srila Prabhupad wanted it.

You have been able to understand and internalize Srila Prabhupada’s mood and your eagerness and humility in doing so has been huge. I say humility because part of this understanding has come from your association with your dear godbrother and my dear siksa guru, HH Tamal Krsna Maharaj, Srila Gurudev. You have stated that we all are classed as ‘rupanugas’ due to following Rupa Goswami in devotional service and we follow Rupa Goswami because he most thoroughly understood Lord Caitanya’s desire. In the same way, Srila Gurudev understood Srila Prabhupad’s mood most perfectly and therefore we should all follow him with this understanding. You have been an excellent example of humility in accepting guidance and in following in Srila Gurudev’s footsteps. And you have portrayed great greediness, the price of devotional service, by the fact that you are using whatever means you can to understand and please Srila Prabhupada.

My prayer to you is- please allow me so that I can serve your mission very, very nicely now and in the future. This is my simple prayer to you three times a day when I pay my obeisances to you. What I mean to say by this prayer is that-dear father, please let me leave my body with you, or, if it is not to be, then, let me stay in this world and serve your mission very, very nicely. What do I mean by serving your mission? I mean internalizing your mood so that I can please you as you are pleasing Srila Prabhupad, helping in the production of the new temple at New Goloka, helping in the Mayapur project, attracting more and more people to Krsna Consciousness and following you in whatever other service you are involved in. I pray that I can imbibe your mood of service to your guru. I also pray that I am able to clearly understand your mission and that you might delineate it to me, and that I may keep your order in my heart always, even at the time of death. Please heed my prayer.

Thank you very much for everything,

Aspiring to be your menial servant,
With all my love always,
Kisori dasi

 

Dear Gurudev,

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

om ajnana-timirandahasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmani sri-gurave namaha

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

Dear Gurudev, I cannot find the words to describe my happiness and good luck for being you disciple.

I have a great need to constantly thank you for accepting me so bravely, one fallen soul, for your disciple, and included me in your family with great love and care.

The only remaining thing for me is to honestly and strongly wish and pray to Krishna to never betray you and forget the great meaning you have in my little life.

This life has a great value and with you mercy I want to live it for you and the service to help you and your spiritual master to satisfy the most merciful Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his eternal associates.

Although living in this world is a great challenge, it is always much easier whenever I remember and follow your example which you selflessly show to us, giving us great support and care to be and stay on this wonderful path of self realization and surrender to the Most Magnificent.

Thanks a lot for all you do for us.

Hare Krsna,
Your servant,
Krishna Jivani dd

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prahbupada and Gurudeva!!

All glories to Srila Gurudeva…

Who is never disturbed by the changes of the material world

All glories to Srila Gurudeva…

Who has come to save us conditioned souls from repeated birth and death,
by offering us the opportunity to take to the devotional service of the Lord.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva…

Which only by Your grace we are attempting to obtain the grace of the Lord.
Then we can begin to understand the transcendental message of the Vedas.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva…

By Gurudeva’s sacrifice and mercy He will fulfill the desire of the devotees to progress on their spiritual path.

All glories to Srila Gurudeva…

By the mercy of Sri Krishna and Gurudeva, we are making attempts on this path. Thank you so much. We beg You to help us like this always!!

Happy Vyasa Puja Gurudeva!!!

Your aspiring servant in service to Krishan and Guru,
Krishna Kumari devi dasi
Blaine, Washington USA

 

Dear Srila Guru Dev,

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

To try to glorify your unlimited qualities means to show the torch light to the sun. You started New Goloka community to give the chance to several devotees to serve Sri Sri Radha Golokananda. Different devotees from different countries are very fortunate to have the shelter under your lotus feet.

Sri Sri Radha Golokananda are the most merciful and power Deities in the world. Your pure devotion and full dedication made Them appear in this world to save several souls from this material world. Your constant preaching ability shows your desire to serve Srila Prabhupada. You are definitely endowed with the special potency of Lord Krishna. Please forgive me for my offences to your Holiness and other devotees.

Thank you very much for giving me the shelter in New Goloka dham.

Your servant,
Krishna Priya dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I went back into the archives of previous Vyasa puja offerings to help guide me in writing this. The love and devotion I found expressed there from your devotees was very moving.
I now know so many of those devotees and have experienced first hand, the power of their loving kindness. I know that they are sincere, pure hearted and determined. When I reflect on the great love and high esteem they hold you in, it makes me very happy.
They offer you – so beautifully- the very thing that I stumble to say.
I remember reading something years ago about how to tell if someone belongs to the Lord. The measure is how “given away” he is.
Well, for you, this is a no-brainer:
Offering every person a temple to come to;
Using your mind, body and soul every morning, noon and night in His service
…what is not given away to Him?
Please allow me to join in with your other dear devotees in deep appreciation of you, in thanking Sri Krishna for your life with us.
We are blessed!
Sincerely,
Krishnarati dasi
New Goloka, N.C.

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

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

What stands out most to me as the years go by, is just how fortunate I was to be able to spend a few short years under intensive guidance from you. Although trouble passes through ISKCON, although my mind and desires constantly pull me in a thousand directions and I am ever surrounded by an array of voices suggesting conflicting paths to happiness, I am always able to find clarity and purpose through your instructions and my memories of how you’ve applied them over time.

It is very difficult to practice Krishna consciousness consistently over a lifetime. But thee messages you have conveyed through your instructions and example help me to carry on; they are love, simplicity and balance. You always reminded us that we must do everything with love and not fall into ritualism. Chant with love, see the Deity as a person, remember Krishna’s qualities and pastimes, be personal with the devotees. Do not follow blindly or out of pride. Follow out of love. Serve out of love. And then you will be happy. You repeat this message over and over again, and because for a time I followed your instructions with dedication, I was able to taste some of this love. Now I can never forget it.

Simplicity. In the guru puja prayers we sing, “My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from your lotus mouth.” A simple wish for a simple heart. I remember you once saying that we shouldn’t be simple minded, but that a devotee is simple hearted. Your one wish is to please Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. For that reason, the overall structure of your life is simple. You chant with love every day. You read Srila Prabhupada’s books. And you do whatever you can to serve the devotees and Srila Prabhupada’s movement. I always know that however your life and perspectives may change, this will always be the same. You will always guide me to Krishna because that is the only desire in your heart, the only purpose in your mind.

Balance. You have always taught to us that balance is necessary in order to continue practicing Krishna consciousness over a lifetime. You’ve encouraged us to have recreation as well as discipline. You’ve taught us to find a balance between following rules and remembering their purpose. You’ve asked us to make sacrifices for Krishna but warned us that austerity in and of itself is not Krishna consciousness. You teach morality and family values as you explain that these are part of coming to the mode of goodness and that this is necessary for developing Krishna consciousness.

You are truly a master, because your implementation of Krishna consciousness has timeless relevance. You help to guide and manage our movement and you help us individually. You are a brilliant soldier for Srila Prabhupada and I am eternally, unfathomably fortunate to be your disciple.

Thank you, Srila Gurudeva for giving me clarity, vision and purpose in this dark and dangerous world.

Your eternal servant,
Krishnaa devi dasi

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto him {Suka}, the spiritual master of all sages, the son of Vyasadeva, who, out of his great compassion for those gross materialists who struggle to cross over the darkest regions of material existence, spoke this most confidential supplement to the cream of Vedic knowledge, after having personally assimilated it by experience. ” Bhag 1.2.3.

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

Today we are celebrating your appearance day. The appearance of a compassionate devotee of the Lord in this world is not an ordinary affair. It is for the benefit of all that come in contact with him. You are accepting the most important service of representing Srila Vyasadeva and all the previous spiritual masters. That mood of selfless service.

How fortunate we are that this year we have the opportunity to host your Vyasa Puja celebration in North Carolina. For many years we never even imagined that it would be held in another location but Krishna has shown us that you are part of a very big family and loved and respected by many in different parts of the world.

First I would like to thank you for the wonderful foundation of Krishna consciousness that you gave me during my “formative years” of spiritual life. Your example of determination and focus on Srila Prabhupada’s teachings has been a source of strength and inspiration. You are always trying to keep the true essence of Krishna consciousness clear and at the same time look for new and innovative ways to attract the suffering conditioned souls to the shelter of Srila Prabhupada and to remember their natural position as servants of Radha and Krishna. Lately you have been speaking to us about time management. You are certainly expert at not wasting a moment of your time in useless activities but always accomplishing so much for your service. You demonstrate what is the meaning of real compassion. You are not just interested in saving the “coat of the drowning person” but actually rescuing the soul which is the only way out of this world of samsara. Your good sense of humor helps us to not take our minds too seriously. You are the real laugh therapy yogi. I am always amazed by your ability to forgive and go on with life and your humility to admit mistakes. You are certainly the most practical person I have ever met both materially and spiritually.

Thank you for bringing me to the shelter of Sri Sril Radha Golokananda. I beg that you will excuse my offenses and continue to pray for my advancement in spiritual life so that I may always stay secure at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,
Krsnapriya

New Goloka, N.C.

Dear Father,

Please accept my obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. I also offer obeisances to all the Vaisanava devotees of the Lord. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I have been thinking how fortunate I am that you are my spiritual father. You are like a father who always guides their child when they are affected by the three material modes of nature, inspiring and brings them back to Krsna Consciousness.

I pray to you on this auspicious day of your appearance day to give me the strength and the desire to always maintain enthusiasm to continue the propagation of this transcendental movement and always stay closely under the protection of your lotus feet.

Your daughter,
Kundlata

New Goloka, N.C.

 

nama om visnupadaya krishna prestaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krishna das goswamin iti namine

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

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada .
Todas las glorias a usted, querido Gurudeva.

Yo le ofrezco mis respetuosas reverencias a los divinos pies de loto de mi amado maestro espiritual.

Querido Srila Gurudeva yo solo deseo enviarle mis muy humildes felicitaciones en este su Vyasa Puja, el gran día de su aparición, en qu seguramente estará usted rodeado de sus dignos discípulos.

Recuerdo haber leído en la biografía de Srila Prabhupada lo siguiente; “Srila Prabhupada dijo que, el Señor Krishna le había enviado a sus discípulos americanos para que lo ayudaran en su misión de prédica”. Eso significa que usted fue seleccionado y enviado por el mismo Señor Krishna para ayudar a Srila Prabhupada en su distribución de libros y predicar sobre en mensaje del Señor Caitanya. Lo cual resulta muy auspicioso para todo nosotros sus discípulos.

Srila Gurudeva, de alguna manera usted ha inspirado mi vida espiritual como la de sus otros discipulos. El año pasado usted no pudo venir al Ratha Yatra de la ciudad de Guadalajara, nosotros sus discipulos de México nos sentimos muy tristes por su ausencia, sin embargo en todo este tiempo, mi mente ha estado fija en su divina persona ya sea a través de las ofrendas diarias a sus Señorías Sri Sri Radha Madana Gopal y mi insignificante servicio en el altar de sus Señorías.

Srila Gurudeva ciertamente lo extraño mucho sin embargo a traves de la distancia cantando el Maha Mantra Hare Krishna, siento que estoy cerca de usted.

Desde mi corazón y a traves de la distancia, le envío mis humildes reverencias y al mismo tiempo le oro al Señor Supremo y a Srila Prabhupada para que lo colmen de bendiciones en este su Vyasa puja y le den buena salud por toda su vida.

Su muy humilde sirviente,
Kurma das

Mexico

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaja,

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

I was just thinking of you & was online so thought I would drop you a few lines. No…forget that, I want to tell you some things so please forgive me this once!

I hope you are well. I know it is your Vyasa Puja coming up this weekend & you are very likely busy but…just read when you get a chance. I am lousy with remembering dates etc. so I am happy I could make it before instead of after such an important event! It’s not the usual formal letter one writes on Vyasa puja but just as meaningful.

I actually thought Vyasa Pujas were banned but I am glad to hear they aren’t so at least in the future I have something to look forward to. Perhaps it was books for mass distribution that were stopped or? Anyway. In the meantime I hope you have a lovely day!

Dear Guru Maharaja, I would like to thank you so much for all the help you have given me over the years.

I remember the first time I wrote you by snail mail, appreciating your lovely & moving song about Srila Prabhupada. I had no idea who you were at the time but was so inspired by what you said & the feelings behind the song, revealing your loving devotion to Srila Prabhupada, that I simply had to tell you of my appreciation. I wanted to pass on to you how it touched me & how it inspired me in my own service to Srila Prabhupada.

At the time I was looking after the Srila Prabhupada murti in ‘ Prabhupada House ‘ in Melbourne. There is something very intimate about that room as Prabhupada’s presence is very strong. I always felt that I was very fortunate to have this service as most ladies never got such an opportunity to serve Prabhupada in this way; to bathe, dress & make garlands for him. I remember how more enthusiastic I was to serve Prabhupada in this way, the more I listened to your song. I am a great believer in that Prabhupada is also there in his murti, giving us the chance to personally serve him. I had a fantastic dream showing me this. During my early days, I used to stand & wonder about the murti form of Prabhupada, what was its importance? What was the use of it? I was way too new to really understand anything like this.

One evening I dreamed that I was doing just as I did in my waking hours & as I was standing looking at him, suddenly I saw Prabhupada ‘ changing ‘. I thought I was going mad, it was so ‘real’ it was eerie. I looked around the room to see if others in the kirtan were noticing this. It was so detailed; I saw the hairs on the backs of his arms, the lines in his face become more prominent & the small movements of his breathing. He then simply got off the Vyasasana & walked toward Radha-Gopinatha. I was saying to the others ‘ Look Prabhupada is here ‘ but they didn’t seem to hear me or see him. I was so excited & it was wonderful to see Prabhupada taking darshan. My memory is a little hazy but I think he was even dancing a little in the kirtan. He then walked back & sat back down on his Vyasasana, which was when I woke up. I don’t think I even got a glance from him but that wasn’t the point. He was answering my silent questions that I had put to him every day for weeks.

You cannot imagine how frustrated I was to have to first work all day before I could take the hour long daily journey to the temple to see Prabhupada after that dream!!! 🙂 It may be a strange dream & I was fairly new to Krishna consciousness & didn’t understand Prabhupadas real position but ever since I had a deep respect for Prabhupadas importance & murti form. I am not sure about what others think of this form of Prabhupada but for me it is very special. When I heard your song, it also helped me to even more to appreciate Srila Prabhupada & his direct disciples relationship with him, which had been unclear for me before.

You are very fortunate to have had the chance to personally serve Prabhupada but I would like to say that you, your song & your personal guidance have given me the conviction to keep on serving Prabhupada’s mission in his ISKCON, regardless of any ups & downs. My attempts to serve the spiritual master, is in turn service to Prabhupada in any case. What is amazing is that I now have the opportunity to serve the one person who inspired me so much so many years ago, by a simple little song, which came into my hands by chance. Funny how things work out.

I also remember from that time, how I sent you some pictures of our deities Radha-Ballabha & you sent back a photo of Radha-Golokananda & had written on the back ‘Radha-Golokananda Rules!’. Gawd, how I laughed at that. It was sooooo American but showed a great sense of humour.
That funny photo was the beginning of our ongoing correspondence over the years. Sometimes it was few & far between but at the same time it wasn’t as though the connection was ever lost.

You gave to me what my then spiritual master didn’t give but in the sense that your attributes were different & thus complimentary. I was attracted to the different qualities in you that I didn’t see in others. I must say, I always felt fortunate to have more than 1 spiritual master! 🙂 & that’s how I thought of you really. My ‘ other ‘ & all the more better because I had asked permission from my diksa guru if I could take shelter of you…so it was bonafide! J.

When I was again thinking about taking shelter of a spiritual master, the natural thought was to choose you but I wanted to make sure so I waited….& waited….& then Krsna gave me the opportunity to see you at Visakhas place. After that, I thought ‘ YES! ‘ but of course I didn’t feel up to standard. I am still a long way from that standard but I will never get anywhere without taking shelter, will I? I was relieved when we spoke on the phone & you accepted me as an aspiring disciple. I didn’t want to do it by email & it is nice to know that you are willing to have contact with your disciples & take care of them. That is a very endearing & very important quality in a spiritual master. That he is more interested in people than numbers. That he takes the time to guide his disciples in a way, which they can relate to. These qualities you have & many, many more. I look forward to finding out how many more!

I have also thought about the distance but on the whole, I am not worried about serving in ‘ separation ‘ of sorts, as God knows I have been doing that since the very beginning with years in between darshans but I do hope to see you more often than every 4yrs! I hope that time will allow me to get to know you better & to serve you. That I can visit you & that you will again grace us with your presence in Denmark. It is hard for devotees here to learn how to treat guests sometimes but I hope you will be merciful enough to forgive our faults & help us learn the importance of serving properly. I hope that you will bless us by giving us your association in the near future. We need it! But I guess so many others need it too. And who knows where I will end up in the world. One thing is that I do not want to be too far from your travel route.

‘Happy Birthday!’ for Sunday & thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all you have given to me during the past 12 yrs or so. Thank you for continuing to give shelter & for just being you.

Your servant always,
Lalita-Gopinatha dasi

Denmark

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your Divine Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada. All Glories unto you on this most auspicious day.

Srila Gurudeva, I feel very honored to be able to recognize this day as the appearance day of my Spiritual Master! I realize that in the past year I may not have behaved in the manner of a perfect disciple, it is true I am just an infant in Krishna consciousness. You however are fully matured in Krishna consciousness, and that is why this day is so special. Every year on Your appearance day I spend the day focusing on Your actions and behavior, examining how they are completely focused in Krishna consciousness. It is a time for me to examine what advancement I have made in the past year, and how I can better align my life to look more like Yours. For some devotees Gaurapurnima is the marker of a new year, and for others it is Jhanmastami, but for me it is Your appearance day.
So on this day I want to take the opportunity to thank You for being a perfect example to me, of what a devotee should be.

You are my Spiritual Father, and the deepest desire within my heart is to be a pleasing daughter and disciple unto You.

Thank You Srila Gurudeva for being so gentle with me in my times of learning, and for giving me the encouragement I need to be able to continue to mature and grow. I pray that one day I will also be like You, a fully matured devotee of Lord Krishna, until then I pray that I might remain always,

Your servant,
Lila-Manjari devi dasi

San Diego, CA

 

 

My Dear Gurudeva,

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

I hope you have a wonderful appearance day and I want to thank you for all of the care and support you have given to me during the past year.

As always, your kindness, compassion, patience and instruction have been my guiding light. I’m trying very hard to remember that a real devotee loves everyone and learn how to become a real devotee.

Take care during the coming year, there are so many of us depending on you spreading Krsna Conciousness in a very practical way.

Your servant,
Lilamrta dd

Boise, Idaho

 

 

 

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,

You are the guiding principle in my life. Pleasing you makes everything in life worthwhile. Other wise my life is dull and bleak, aimless and redundant. Any service that I attempt to make must be done to please you. It is only by your empowerment that anything I do is useful. I am ever so grateful for your kindness, patience and tolerance.

Your express nature has whisked me along and I find myself engaged in the service of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda and in the association of wonderful devotees year after year.

Your teachings make my fickle mind steady and my heart satisfied.
Thank you Gurudeva, for being your wonderful self.

I pray that you will be protected in all of your service to Srila Prabhupada.

Your ever-aspiring servant,
Lilasuka dasi

New Goloka, N.C.
USA

 

nama on visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krishna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikashaya prabhupada priyayate
su-drdha sudhi nistabhyam tasya vakaya anuvadine

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept our most humble obeisances unto the dust of your divine lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Your Divine Grace on this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa puja. Gurudeva it’s through your unlimited mercy that you have accepted us as your servants, otherwise we would have been in the darkness of ignorance like others.

Srila Gurudeva, once again thank you so much for accepting us as your servants. We are so unqualified even to glorify you yet by your mercy we were able to get the shelter of your lotus feet.

Gurudeva, you have really changed our families lives whatever we have, materially or spiritual it is the result of your countless mercy upon us. We are really indebted to you.

Gurudeva, if you had not come in our lives we don’t know where we would have been in the world of maya. You have really cared for all the disciples of yours and your godbrothers. Even my daughters and their family – Shyamalata dd, Sriniketan das, Gurusharana dd and Ghanashyam das.

Gurudeva, on this day you bring your spiritual family closer to you and we as your disciples learn to become better Krsna conscious devotees. You always give us spiritual strength and blissfulness. We are so lucky to have a spiritual father like you.

When you come to Fiji you enquire about each and everyone. We all get inspired and enthused. We long to see your smiling and humble nature, which has always attracted us to be your disciples.

Gurudeva, even if you are away serving Krsna and uplifting your disciples in other countries, we still feel your presence in our heart everyday. Please Gurudeva, we humbly beg you to let us know if you want us to do any particular service for Krsna or you.

Please Gurudeva, if we have knowingly or unknowingly done any offence unto your lotus feet do forgive us. We are very neophyte devotees. Please always give us the strength and knowledge to serve Krsna, you, and all the vaisnavas in a more offenceless and humble way. We always miss your caring and humble nature when you are not with us in Fiji.

We pray on this auspicious day to Lord Krsna that He keep you in good health so that you can serve Krsna and we can have more and more of your association while we are in this material world and preparing ourselves to go back to Godhead.

Please once again dear Gurudeva, accept our obeisances unto the dust of your lotus feet.

Jai Gurudeva ki Jaya
Vyasa Puaj Maha Utsava ki Jaya

Your four most fallen disciples,
Madan Gopal Das & Nayika Devi Dasi
Bhakta Roneel Rajnesh Lal & Bhaktin Shristi Seema Devi

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and to his dear disciples who have dedicated their lives to continuing his mission. All glories to you, Srila Gurudeva, and all glories to the dust of your feet which have walked the earth spreading Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan movement.

You are called a visionary. Somehow, mysteriously, as you travel tirelessly from country to country to country, you take continuous care of so many devotees, all the while seeing so far ahead for each one, and patiently, patiently guiding step by step, each according to his or her needs and capacity, toward a vision that often only you can see. And all this with a light and casual touch that puts people at ease and gives hope and encouragement.

This year you have been a coach to me. “Coach” is a good word because a coach is a trainer who helps an athlete do his own work to develop his own strength. And that is what you have done for me. You have helped me from a position of disempowerment toward a position of personal strength, and you have given me the courage to push on in spite of fear. This is your vision for all devotees and for a stronger healthier ISKCON. This is your compassion, and your courage.

This is the kind of friend you are. Everyone who is fortunate enough to know you and be open to you has a most amazing friend in you.

I am grateful to Krishna to have you in my life. I hope I can serve you. I hope I can do something useful for Lord Caitanya’s movement, and I hope I can pass on to others some of what you have given to me.

Your servant,
Madhava priya

Atlanta, Ga.

Dearest Srila Guru Maharaja,

nama om vishnu padaya krishna prestaya bhutale
srimate bir krishna dasa goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyate
sudrida suddhi nista abhiyam tasya vakya nubadine

nama om vishnu padaya krishna prestaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

Please accept our most humble dandavats on this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa puja, in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you Guru Maharaj. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Guru Maharaja, your unlimited mercy on behalf of Lord Krishna is showering upon us here in Fiji. You are always present within us, in our every heartbeat. Your torchlight of Krishna conscious knowledge is leading us from the darkness on ignorance. We pray to Lord Krishna to shower His causeless mercy upon you on your Vyasa puja, also to fulfill the mission of your spiritual master and Jagat Guru Srila Prabhupada in spreading Krishna consciousness.

We know very well Srila Guru Maharaj, what difficult and painstaking tasks you are carrying on your shoulders physically in spreading Krishna consciousness. Nevertheless, spiritually you are building houses for your beloved disciples by spreading and implanting Bhakti Lata Bij. However, it is not an easy task to travel tirelessly around various countries in order to spread Krishna consciousness and to frequent your beloved disciples for their spiritual benefit.

The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord.
guru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pranane
guru rupe krsna-krpa karena bhakta gane
“According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Krishna. Lord Krishna in the form of the spiritual master delivers his devotees”.

Srila Guru Maharaj, you are the most precious subject in our lives. Without your causeless mercy, we would not have any knowledge of Krishna consciousness. “O pure devotee, bona fide spiritual master, the purpose of the eyes is to see you, the purpose of the touch is to touch your lotus feet, and the purpose of the tongue is to glorify you, because in this world it is very difficult to find a pure devotee like you.

Many millions of thanks for your appearance in this material world to save us from being lost forever in the claws of Maya. Koti koti dandavats at the dust of your lotus feet for saving us.
Srila Guru Maharaja, we are always dependant on your mercy. Without your mercy we have nothing but pain and suffering in the forest fire of this material world. You have attained the shelter of the lotus feet of Krishna and you have the power to give Him to us. Kindly be merciful to us and grant us the wisdom and humility to become your sold-out servants to never leave the shelter of your divine instructions.

On this auspicious occasion of your appearance day, we would like to pledge ourselves whole-heartedly to your service. Whatever it takes to purify us, please do it and shower your mercy upon us.

Please Guru Maharaj, beat me with lashes to follow the route of your instructions such as sama, dama, tapah, saucam, ksanti, arjavam, jnanam, vijnanam and astikyam.

Finally, begging to remain your insignificant servants for ever…….
HARE KRISHNA!
Madhumangala Dasa
Lolaksih Devi Dasi

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to His Divine Grace 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

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 day I can’t stop remembering how you have given your mercy, compassion and love to unqualified people like myself. Several times I have wondered how is it possible for me to have been accepted into Srila Prabhupada’s wonderful family, and nothing else comes to mind but you. Many times it is easy to forget what a rare opportunity it is to have the association of devotees, and we can take for granted how important it is to remain in their association, but as soon as I spent a few days with some of my relatives about a year ago, I did remember my background and how my life use to be. There is surely nothing I have ever experienced that can be compared to devotional service to Krishna, and to his pure devotees.

I am eternally grateful to you for picking me up and for restlessly trying to elevate my consciousness. Your example is so enlivening and instructive, even tough my spiritual immaturity does not allow me to see all of its features. Understanding that a real Vaisnava has no envy in his heart, I can see how your dealings with your god-brothers and all livings entities reflect this principle and is giving us a clear example on how we should have this spirit of the servant of the servant in order to cultivate this same principle.

Praying to stay eternally at your feet in service of Srila Prabhupada’s mission.

Your aspiring servant,
Mahamantra das

New Goloka, N.C.

traveling preacher
smiling face
wherever you are
devotional space

children adore you
for more than a sweet
giving Krsna to all
everyone you meet

for years I’ve heard your stories
try to absorb them into my heart
this all add to your glories
from your teachings I never will part

we need all your encouragement
help and advice
to receive this from you
would really be nice

our lives are quite different
from yours as you roam
as we try to maintain
three kids and a home

I pray to you now
it is really only fair
to take me to Krsna
as you are already there

 

Your Servant,
Maha Mantra dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

nama om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das gosvamin iti namine
namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyayate
su drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

Dear Bir Krsna Das Goswami,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to
you on this special day of the Vyasa Puja.

Remembering your instruction to study the Sri Siksastaka I pay my attention
to the eighth verse:
aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

– Let Krsna tightly embrace this maidservant, who has fallen at His lotus feet. Let Him trample Me or break My heart by never being visible to Me. He is a debauchee, after all, and can do whatever He likes, but He is still no one other than the worshipable Lord of My heart. –

Just at Janmastami time this year we learned a horrible attack had happened
in the Manipur temple area in India, many devotees of Krishna got injured and some left their bodies. The first question that came into my mind after hearing the sad news was: “Why did You let this happen, Krishna?” Only Lord Krishna Himself can answer that question. Despite of all the terror and despair, we can try to see the situation from the viewpoint of eternity. We are parts and parcels of Sri Krishna and we never die or even suffer. As souls we are eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. Nothing can disturb in any way our real self.

Maharaja, in the same way your knowledge is eternal and unshakeable and
your instructions are above the material life. It is up to the disciple how
seriously he or she takes your guidance. As the representative of Sri Vyasadeva you don’t force anyone to follow, for your guidance is based on love and sincere care. Due to the spiritual knowledge, which I have received only out of your causeless mercy, I can now cope with all the emotions and mental confusion caused by the unfortunate attack. I can now find your eternal knowledge soothing deep in my heart. I see Vaishnavas don’t die, but leave their bodies to make us remember that everything belongs to Sri Krishna and only to Sri Krishna.

Without your vani form I would be just a dry autumn leaf spinning on the
ground without a real destination. By your mercy my life has a direction towards spiritual dimensions. I am deeply grateful for your patience regarding my slow spiritual progress and attachment to unnecessary material details. I feel myself a hopeless case, but still, I don’t lose my hope. Maybe Srila Prabhupada has a permanent place also for me in his beautiful transcendental movement.

Wishing to be able to continue on my path without maya’s too heavy attacks.
Offering colorful petals at your lotus feet with humble obeisances.

Your servant,
Mamata-mayi devi dasi

Dear Srila Gurudev,
Please accept my obeisances. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance!
Thank you so much for your genuine concern and encouragement. I am always impressed and amazed by your ability to keep such close, personal contact with so many of your disciples and well-wishers. Please forgive me for not reciprocating with you like I should. Thank you also for allowing me to serve you even though I very rarely do. Have a very happy appearance day!
sri guru karuna sindhu
adhama janara bandhu
gurudev lokera jivana
ha ha prabhu koro doya
deho more pada chaya
ebe yasa ghusuk tribhuvana
gurudeva patita pavana…
Your aspiring servant,
Mandakini devi dasi
New Goloka, N.C.

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances!
All glories to your most auspicious appearance!

Thank you so much for the rare opportunity to serve you and for your appearance in this world to save us conditioned souls. If I am to accomplish nothing else
than to serve you then all success is achieved!

Thanks to your endless flow of mercy the home program that I have started here is going so nicely. Thank you so much for getting me back to normal!

Your growing child in Krsna.
Markandeya Rsi Dasa

 

 

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Your most auspicious Vyasa Puja day!

The last two years have brought many changes and challenges. And through it all, we’ve gained a deep gratitude for the one stable influence in our lives – our Gurudeva’s kindness. Somehow, we’ve had the great fortune of becoming your disciples in spite of ourselves. By force, we were dragged to the Dhama, and here we’ve seen that even the most trying trials can be joyful experiences by the blessings of Guru.

We owe you everything. Our prayer is that we can be put to some good use in Srila Prabhupada’s preaching movement so that you will be pleased with us.

Your servants,
Mayapurcandra das
Campakalata devi dasi

Vrindavan, India

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

I offer my respectful obeisance to my spiritual master who is like a swan taking only nectar and is serving his spiritual master with faith and devotion.

When there is a person in this world who gave everything to Krishna and surrendered completely to the mission of his spiritual master, it is blessing for all living beings. Srila Gurudeva, your devotion is such an inspiration and great blessing for all. Just by seeing your engagement and meditation on Krishna gives us more enthusiasm. And your regulation of each day gives us more determination. Your laughing and joking gives pleasure to our hearts.

Before I started building a relationship with you I felt alone and quite lost. But then just by your addressing “My dear daughter” I felt security and love. Being your disciple is the biggest thing that happened in my heart. All my devotional service is by your mercy. Every devotional service is now filled with your blessings. It is amazing and wonderful.

You are teaching us great knowledge – not only in theory but also in practice. By believing in us, setting us a dream to follow and solving our doubts you make us qualified to engage in devotional service. We can never repay what you are doing for us.

Krishna is surely most pleased with devotees like you and inspiration that you give to others is like saving hand from this material world. Thank you again and again.

Your servant,
Mohini Radha devi dasi

Europe, Slovenia

 

 

Dear Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisance. All Glory to You and Srila Prabhupada!

On the day of Your Glorious appearance I remembered my spiritual activities and attempts during the last year. I felt that I made a little step further thanks to You and Your leadership. It is the reason that I don’t have enough words to thank You for Your instructions, advice, explanations and caring for me during each contact with You. I am really glad to meet You again, to listen Your lessons, to receive Your E-mails, because they are the source of great inspirations for me and the way to pure devotional service to Krishna. I wish You to be healthy and full of divine inspiration.

With love,
Your servant Mrtyu Mrtyu das

Virovitica, Croatia

 

 

 

Dear Bir Krsna Gurudev,

Please accept our humble obeisances on your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupad and all glories to you, Gurudev.

We are sending our best wishes for your Vyas-puja, which is coming very near. We know you are brighter than the sun and with your mercy you have picked us from the well of darkness. It’s understood the sun evaporates the water from the sea or waste, etc. and in return it gives the purified water as rain. Likewise, you have burnt our sins at Guru-diksha samaro and made us comfortable. The spiritual knowledge given through your nice and beautiful lectures on your Labasa Yatra visits also strengthen us from maya or ignorance.

We cannot forget every benefit we receive and we are most grateful to you. May Lord Krishna always keep you in healthy and spiritual environment.

We wish you ” A Very Happy and Long Long Life” to you, Gurudev.

Jay Radhe, Jay Govind.

Your fallen servants,
Murali-Vandana Das,
Srimati Devi Dasi
And Family.

Labasa, Fiji

My dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Your Divine Grace. All glories to You on the most auspicious occasion of your divine appearance.

Srila Gurudeva, this day of your divine appearance is like the best of all days in this material world and spiritual world because you – the benefactor of all of us fallen conditioned souls have appeared in the material world on the divine order of Sri Krishna to reclaim us for His pleasure. We have forgotten our true constitutional position of service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and you are selflessly working hard to re-instate us. I know Srila Gurudeva, I will never be able to repay this debt of yours for saving us, but then following in your footsteps, for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada, I will humbly attempt to spread Mahaprabhu’s mission. Srila Gurudeva, please empower me for this.

Srila Gurudeva, all these years I have seen the compassionate side of yours which you manifest in Fiji so openly and widely. Srila Gurudeva, you love all souls unconditionally. You have touched the lives of so many. In Fiji and Australia and New Zealand, I have seen you not touch the lives of your disciples only but many of our god-cousins especially disciples of His Holiness Tamal Krishna Maharaj and Bhakti Charu Maharaj. Srila Gurudeva, I guess Kali-yuga progresses, everyone simply is looking for true love and care and affection. We all wanted that but we went into the wrong direction but it is only you who woke us up and showed us the right direction and your loving reciprocation gives us a glimpse into what Golokananda’s love for us is. Srila Gurudeva, very truly, I am only here for your love and mercy.

Srila Gurudeva, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur has very nicely written :

yasya prasadad bhagavat prasado
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto pi
dhyayan’stuvams tasya yasya tri-sandhyan
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

” By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise my spiritual master. At least three times a day, I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.”

Srila Gurudeva, I am one of the living examples of what Srila Krishna dasa Kaviraja Goswami writes in Caitanya Caritamrta :

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavana jive, guru krishna prasade paya bhakti lata bija…….. I was wondering in the wilderness of material existence and out of your causeless mercy, you have saved me.

Srila Gurudeva, Thank you again and again for your mercy. Please let me always serve in the dust of your lotus feet

I beg to remain your servant,
Nanda Gopal dasa

My Dear Spiritual Father,

Please accept my most respectful obeisancies on your Appearance Day.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you.

This is the seventh Vyasapuja offering that I am writing to you and as I
write I am recalling those days many years ago when I had just met you.
Our relationship has developed through these years but one thing has
remained unchanged; you have always been ready to offer your help
sincerely to anyone in need.

When I first met you, it was a big struggle to develop faith for anyone,
especially for someone in an authority position. However, by your actions
you convinced me about your sincerity. You were and still are the only
person I have under no circumstances perceived being guilty in any
double-dealing. Honesty is the most valuable thing I appreciate in you.
Your honesty allows other people also to try to reach out to that quality
and to come closer to it little by little. In that way, honesty from your side
opens up possibilities for a whole honest relationship.

Throughout my life I have been forced to pretend to be something that I
am not but in your presence there is no need for that. In our relationship
I have always felt to be accepted as I am, with all my inabilities and
bad qualities. Because you are recognizing and accepting others as we are
without any unnecessary guilty trips, the door to change also remains
open and gradually, with your help, it is possible to start to polish away
all that dirt accumulated inside us.

Sometimes I have felt neglected in our relationship, considering all your
numerous duties and hundreds of disciples to be more important than
myself and being reluctant to bother you with more or less insignificant
personal matters. However, although most of your children are most of the time
separated from your physical presence, your instructions are always
available, having the potency to lift us up from the ritualistic platform
and remind us about the goal of life. Also, when something serious is going
on, you have been and will always be there for us.

I recently heard how one of your disciples had cancer and she was about
to leave her body. You phoned her every day no matter where you were
and chanted Krishna’s names with her. When she was not able to chant
anymore because of her weakened condition you just asked her to listen and
chanted to her. In this way you helped her to remember the Lord of her life in
her final moments. This episode reassured me that whenever there is a need,
whenever the world is turning upside down for any single one of your
children, you will do whatever you can, whatever is in your power to
help us.

You are fully able to teach so much for us, your children, but it is an
everyday challenge to sincerely apply your teachings in our lives.
Often we are causing you anxiety and I have actually seen how you have been
disappointed with some of us. Most probably I have also caused you
disappointments but you have been too kind to show it. Sometimes I have
been afraid that you would demand something that I could not do or place on
me expectations that I could not fulfill. Now I see that actually you do
not really ask so much from us. Basically you just expect us to follow our
initiation vows and try to serve in one way or another. Anything above
the basics causes you to encourage, even to glorify us and simultaneously
guide us further in a very personal way.

When I first met you I started to pray for Krishna in a new way. I prayed,
please give me faith for You and Your servants. The word ‘servants’
was in a plural form but actually it meant just you, not anyone else. Krishna
answered my prayer. On your Appearance Day I wish to pray that I would
learn from you how to offer my body, mind and words to your service, as you
are offering yourself to the service of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.

Your thankful daughter and servant,
Nandarani devi dasi

Finland

 

Dear Srila Bir Krishna Maharaj:

acharyam mam vijaniyam nava manyeta karhicit
na martya budhya’suyeta sarva devamayo guruh

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 Prabhupada?

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. The recent grenade attack by a terrorist group at Manipur Hare Krishna temple on Janmastami day is deplorable. This resulted in deaths of a few devotees and injured scores of innocent Vaishnavas. There is thus a great need to preach the glories of Krishna and understands to treat every one like himself. 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 on 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)

 

namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti namine
namo hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyayate
sudrdha suddhi nisthabhyam tasya vakya nuvadine

All glories to Your Divine Grace on your most auspicious and most blessed appearance day. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The importance of finding a guru who can impart transcendental knowledge should be one of the most important tenets of ones life. In the Gita itself, Krishna speaks of the importance of finding a guru to Arjuna:

Acquire the transcendental knowledge from a Self-realized master by humble reverence, by sincere inquiry, and by service. The wise ones who have realized the Truth will impart the Knowledge to you. (Bhagavad G?t?, c4 s34)

In this sense you are our link to Krishna. Gurudev by your mercy we are capable of true guidance to become liberated one day and through you we shall realize God one day if we adhere to your precious vani (words). Being the respected person with saintly qualities who enlightens the mind of his or her disciple, an educator from whom we received the initiatory Hare Krishna mantra. You choose to come down and lead us back to Godhead.

One who does not have a guru is similar to being an orphan, and in our case this would have been our misfortune. You are the giver of knowledge, you shelter us from the wrong and awaken us by your grace and you always take care of us. In your presence knowledge flourishes, sorrow diminishes, joy wells up without any reason, abundance dawns and all talents manifest. Your presence is very powerful, and because you are a bona fide personality, anyone who receives your instructions and is somewhat serious, would soon, very easily, pick up the true spirit of Srila Prabhupada. It is not that ordinary persons can do. So, for those of us who are fortunate enough, being inspired to go further, and not only hear the words, but follow your instructions.

You are a master in conveying knowledge through a strong human relationship based on ideals of the disciple’s respect, commitment, devotion and obedience, and on personal instruction by which we try to take in the knowledge that you give to us.

On this very special day of yours our wish is that you have Krishna’s mercy and we would like to thank you very much for making us realize and bring us into Krishna consciousness. By your mercy we have made friends with the Maha Mantra. You complete us.

May Lord Narasimhadeva always protect you.

Your servants,
Navadvipa das & Govindamohini dasi

Australia

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

namah om visnupadaya krsna presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

namaste saraswati deve gaura vani pracarine
nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya desa tarine

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisance’s unto the dust of your divine lotus feet. All glories to Jagad Guru Srila Prabhupada. All and all Glories unto this most glorious Occasion of your Sri Vyasapuja, Srila Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaj Sri Vyasapuja Mahautsav ki jai.

Gurudeva, I am always indebted to you and this indebtness is becoming greater and great day after day as I am progressing. I can feel your divine love and mercy growing towards me. Maharaj, your mere presence is so auspicious, that it is the binding force for all devotees, it sanctifies the whole atmosphere. Gurudeva, it is with only your blessings that I am to engage in devotional service. I am amazed to know that you still recall our first meeting in Taveuni, you still remembered the Motel and me. I was so blessed to serve you than, that with that mercy I am today able to serve the most blissful their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Golokabihariji.

Guru Maharaj, seeing your firm and steadfast service to Srila Prabhupada’s movement, your unbroken sadhana; are all inspiring factors for my devotional life, what to speak of me, your mere presence inspires all fallen conditioned souls to chant the holy name of Hari and eventually take shelter of the Lotus feet of Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

O’ Vaisnava thakur please be merciful on me and on this auspicious day of your divine appearance, please bless me with Krishna Prema and service to the Vasinavas. I pray for your mercy to never lose Vaisnava seva and to always remain attached to the shelter of your lotus feet. May your glories be sung all over the world.

Gurudeva, please bless me so that I can serve your lotus feet with full surrender. May Lord Gauranga bless you with a long life to spread Krishna Consciousness to every town and village.

All and all Glories to Srila Gurudeva Vyasapuja Mahautsav ki jai.

Yours willing, insignificant servant,
Neela Madhava Das

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaja,

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

Thank you for visiting Auckland. Your presence is always inspiring to everyone.
Your jovial manner puts a smile on the face of all the devotees at New Varshan and around Auckland.

Thank you for blessing our house with your association.

Your humble servants,
Nikunja-vasini devi dasi and Krsnendu dasa

Auckland, New Zealand

 

 

Dearest Gurudev,

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

Another year has passed, and quite a lot has changed, both materially and spiritually. Very often I come to ask myself – where would I be without Gurudev? Would I have graduated? Would I have this nice job? Would I have this nice place for living? Would I be so happily situated in my married life, having no quarrels and feeling a new life inside me growing? And most importantly – would I be on ‘hugging terms’ with all the local devotees (figuratively speaking), and would I be chanting 16 rounds daily? I think not. Your instructions are oftentimes about applying the intelligence in Krishna’s service. “OK, your long-term goal may be to become a pure devotee, but what do you want to do in this life?” you ask in many lectures. You told me that I wouldn’t be satisfied without some intellectual stimulation, and you are probably right, for I’m already very excited about my new lectures and seminars.

Also, it feels like I’ve found my place as a grihasta. It feels so right that my husband goes to work and I clean and cook for the Deities and him by the time he returns. We have such a nice relationship now – performing Mangala arotik, and reading Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya Bhagavata every day. I’m saying this to glorify you, really, for because of your constant explaining of the householder position we seem to have got it right eventually.

And I’m so so grateful to you for being so patient with us, and tolerating my rascal neophyte mind trips, quarrels with the devotees, endless excuses, false pride and nonsense behavior around you, like silly sahajiya questions, improper gifts and burnt sannyasa vesas. You have helped me through so many difficulties and have given me mild instructions, not being too harsh with me. So, you’ve understood my nature in all respects.

I don’t know how many years of your vapu Krishna will still bestow upon me, so I must take full advantage and get a deeper understanding of your vani. This is probably most important part of our relationship – that your vani would get through to me.

After all the things listed above and many many more that you have so kindly and selflessly done for me and given me, there remains only one question – how can I serve you, Gurudev? You have told me to continue my education as soon as possible, maintain my health and chant 16 rounds of Hare Krishna Maha-mantra every day. But is there some other significant seva that I could perform to help you with your mission? This question I carry in my heart always, and realize that because you have saved me from the most pitiful deep well of ignorance and sinful life, my contribution to you will always be insignificant. But still, I ask of you to kindly let me hold on to your dhoti and be dragged back to Krishna by your mercy.

Srila Gurudeva ki-jaya!!!

Your daughter,
Nikunjavasini dd.

Tartu, Estonia

nama on visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krsna das goswamin iti-namine

namo hamsa nikashaya prabhupada priyayete
su-drdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakhya ‘nuvadine

Dearest Father,

I beg you to please accept my worthless obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you, dear father. All glories to Srila Prabhupad.

I wish you a very happy Vyasapuja and pray that you have a long, long life.

I really like the fact that you keep laughing and smiling all the time, making us all cheerful and portraying that Krsna’s service is all blissful and gives us plenty to smile about.

Thank you very much for all your mercy and blessings upon me. Please bless me so that I may progress ever upwards in devotional service.

Your son,
Bhakta Niraj

Brisbane, Australia

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to your service to His mission!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the kindness that
you have shown me throughout the years. You have helped me and encouraged me through many times of trial and have kept me on the right path. I certainly
owe you a lot for that. I just wish I had more association with you in present. I seem to have a hard time with long distance, internet relationships. It is certainly due to my spiritual immaturity. I beg you for your mercy so that I can acquire deeper spiritual understandings and be a better devotee and disciple.

I wish you a wonderful Vyasa-puja celebration.

Hare Krishna.
Your aspiring servant,
Nitai-lila dd

Dallas, Tx.

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my most respectful obeisances unto the dust of your sweet and soft loving lotus feet. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja. All glories to Sila Prabhupada.

Gurudeva, i feel completely unable to glorify your exalted qualities. As it is not possible to describe all 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.

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.

By the mercy of Guru even the dumb man can become the greatest orator and even a lame man can cross mountains. In this day and age of questionable spiritual leaders, there is no one who would be a better navigator for this journey out of this material world than yourself.

Gurudeva, you accepted me so kindly to become your disciple even though i have no qualification. My only wish in life is to surrender unto your lotus feet, accept you to be my only shelter and your instructions to be my only duty.

Gurudeva, you are my eternal Guru and spiritual father and although like a child i might have committed countless mistakes and offences, please forgive me. I beg that you will continue to bestow your mercy on this unworthy and unintelligent daughter of yours.

Your insignificant servant,
Nitai Priya Dasi

Vancouver, Canada

My Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisance. All Glories to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Golokbihari, Sri Sri Sita Ram Lakshman bhakt Hanuman and Srila Prabhupada.

Hope you are doing well in whichever part of the world you might be right now. Since next week Wednesday 4th October is your appearance day/Vyasa Puja I thought maybe I should send my offerings to you in advance. Perhaps you might not be checking your emails regularly so at-least it will be in your inbox till you see it just in time for Vyasa Puja.

I may not be intelligent like any other disciple of yours, and I may not be a very good servant of yours but all I can say Gurudeva is that I really love you and thank you Gurudeva for your blessings which has given me another chance to go back home back to Godhead.

Please accept my below prayers:

Gurudeva! By a drop of your mercy make this servant of yours more humble than a blade of grass. Give me strength to bear all trials and troubles, and free me from all desires for personal honor.

O Lord and Master! Invest me with the power to properly honor all living beings. Only then will I sing the holy name in great ecstasy and will all my offenses cease.

O Lord and Master! When will this devotee be blessed by obtaining your mercy? I am low, fallen, and devoid of all strength and intelligence. Please make me your beloved servant.

When I examine myself, I find nothing of value. Your mercy is therefore essential to me. If you are not merciful, I will constantly weep, and I will not maintain my life any longer.

I know above prayer is a repetition but to my knowledge there is no other better prayer a fallen disciple like me can offer in order to obtain the blessings of his Spiritual Master.

It was really nice to receive your Thank You note from Visvanath Prabhu last Sunday and to my surprise it was the same one that you emailed me in which, you and Srila Prabhupada are together. It really blessed my day.

I learnt from Visvanath Prabhu that you were only 25 years old when you took Sannyasa. Jai Ram Prabhu says it is a great thing that despite staying away from your Spiritual Master you managed to get to such a high platform of devotional service and I am so happy and feel honored to have a Gurudeva of such great status.

Please forgive me if I have ever offended you in any way and accept my offerings. Please help me Gurudeva for I have only one desire and that is to get out of this material world which is worse than a prison and go back home back to Godhead.

May Krishna shower his blessings upon you forever.

Hare Krishna.

Your Servant,
Nityananda Das / Nartiki Dasi

 

 

Dear Gurudeva,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Here is a BIG HUG for you from Padmavati. :o)
I wish I could give you a real hug. :o(
At least I can send you this letter. :o)
Your servant,
Padmavati
Vrindavan, India

 

 

nama om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu tale
srimate bir krsna das gosvamin iti namine

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Gurudev.

Maharaj, once again we wish to glorify Your Divine Grace on your holy appearance day, your Yyasa-puja. We do not know how to put in words your glories with our limited knowledge. You have been very compassionate with us. Even though we are not qualified enough, you have always blessed us by accepting and glorifying our worthless service to inspire us in spiritual progress. At times when we feel powerless and dejected in service, taking shelter at your lotus feet gives us new hopes and inspiration.

Maharaj, you have showered special mercy on us by coming to our place and initiating us at home, though we did not have the qualities of a vaisnava. This proves that you are so kind and are prepared to put your own life at risk to save the most fallen souls.

We are so much occupied and disturbed by material activities that we are unable to serve you and just wonder when we will get that opportunity. Time is running out and we do not have any idea of what to do. Despite the odds, your regular visits to Fiji shows how much you care about the devotees in Fiji.

Maharaj, we will always remain indebted to you and on this auspicious day, we pray to Sri Sri Radha Govind Ji for your good health and for your everlasting association. Please shower your mercy on us, the most fallen servants, to allow us to serve at your lotus feet forever.

Srila Gurudeva Ki Jaya !

Your most unworthy and fallen disciples,
Pandu Das Adhikari
Kunti Devi Dasi

Ba – Fiji

Dear Bir Krishna das Goswami,
My best congratulations!
Thank you very much for all your kindness and praying for me and my family. I also appreciate that you with patience are giving me advice in Krishna consciousness.
Hare Krishna!
Pirjo Puukari
Finland

 

Dear Maharaja,

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

Firstly, let me thank you for your efforts in helping us to push on Srila Prabhupada’s movement here in New Zealand. Association is the bottom line for making advancement in spiritual life and you so selflessly offer your personal association to each and every devotee here in Auckland.

Your dedication and commitment to Srila Prabhupada is always apparent in your dealings with the devotees. You are a senior devotee we can all depend upon. You never budge an inch from the original purpose of Srila Prabhupada’s mission. In a word you are “staunch.” But I don’t find you to be fanatical, inconsiderate or arrogant.

Your preaching to the nama hatta devotees in Auckland has had immediate positive results. You have provided the inspiration and encouragement for congregational members to increase their commitment and vows to the point of initiation. This is most refreshing and encouraging that leaders like yourself maintain the conviction and enthusiasm to continue expanding Srila Prabhupada’s mercy.

Please continue to shower us with your transcendental association so that we might encourage others to come forward and progress in their spiritual lives. By your example, your personal dealings, your humor and wit you are changing peoples lives and bringing them closer to Krishna.

Sri Sri Radha Golokanada ki jay!

Sri Sri Radha Giridhari ki jay!

Your servant,
Prana dasa

Auckland, New Zealand

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

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

Another year has gone by, and again I find it difficult to glorify you. In the sastra it says that we should treat the spiritual master as if they were God, and yet I find it difficult.

Gurudeva, I see you always setting a perfect example of sadhana, chanting with focus and attention, being regulated with sleeping patterns and eating habits and every single moment of every day is all done as service to your Guru Maharaj. All I need to do is follow your example yet when you give me instructions and I struggle to follow them.

In Sydney I recall how you danced and led all the young spiritual seekers in the Hanuman dance just after you had visited many devotees during the day and then given an evening lecture. Your heart, mind and soul is Krsna conscious each and every day. May physical age not weary you and because you care so much for us, may you continue to travel and instruct all your disciples.

Gurudeva, how can I follow your example and become a sincere disciple, please help me. This rascal has finally realized I can’t do it all by myself. I pray to be able to take shelter of you more and follow your perfect instructions.

Your humbled servant,
Prananatha das

Australia

 

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to You, dearest Spiritual Master!

All glories to Your Appearance day! This auspicious day is very important for all of us who have taken shelter of you! Your protection, your guidance, your affection, your support is sustaining our lives. Where would we be without you?

As years go by and I get the opportunity to know you better, I am more and more amazed to see your exalted personal qualities and although I am not qualified to grasp them all, at least I can describe some of them that made the strongest impression on me.

You are always fixed in your devotion to your beloved Sri Sri Radha Golokananda and to Srila Prabhupada. No matter what challenge or reverse you may face in your service, you are always sustained by this devotion, you always remain strong and positive and you always come out successful.

Your determination is completely amazing! I have seen that nothing can stop you from achieving your goals in your service; if there are obstacles that seem insurmountable, you are very flexible and you find another way, but never give up until you achieve your goal.

Your attachment to Srila Prabhupada is so deep that permeates your whole existence. You live your life for his service only and you find happiness in pleasing him only. Thus your whole existence is completely in another realm, free from the influence of the material modes. I beg you to let me develop such an attachment for you one day, too.

Your humility and appreciation for others is always amazing to me. You deeply respect each person’s individuality, even if that is a completely new devotee with layers and layers of contamination in the heart. You see him as a soul, a divine being and you very gently help him uncover his original, effulgent qualities. You do not get disappointed with us when we misbehave and in our ignorance upset you. No. You are loving, forgiving father, incredibly compassionate and softhearted.

When we do something wrong, I have seen time and time again how softhearted you are. If the person is feeling at least a bit remorseful for his misdoing, you immediately forgive, as if nothing has happened. Even if a person is not able to feel remorseful, you still forgive and forget and try to help him.

You are a world preacher and you spread Krishna consciousness wherever you go. You indeed can touch the hearts of conditioned souls and attract them to Krishna, although previously they did not have any such desire in the heart.

You are always reliable. In this world there are very very few people that one can rely on. Mostly everybody is going up and down as the modes dictate, changing the mood and the attitude unexpectedly. I am scared to see that although I am myself no better. Only those pure devotees like you, who are free from the contamination of the material nature, always remain the same in their devotion and attitude. Please, I beg you to let me become like you, never changing in my attitude towards you and always being kind to others.

In my service to you I often see that being close to the spiritual master also means having to face one’s own anarthas all the time, because they get immediately exposed in the presence of a pure devotee. It is not possible to hide anything from you; you immediately detect what is on one’s mind. At the same time you also give the cure for the disease of uncontrolled mind – one should not let the mind obsess on anything material, because this will perpetually keep one in the material prison. Instead, one should just absorb oneself in the service fully and never forget the goal of achieving pure devotional service.

Because of my contamination I have to face many challenges in my service to you, but service to you is all I have. I beg you to please never push me away, although my attempts to please you are insignificant and full of faults. Please kindly let me continue to serve you not only in this life but also life after life.

Your insignificant, yet hopeful servant,
Prema manjari dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

 

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

Srila Gurudeva Ki Jai!

Please accept my humble and respectable obeisance at your lotus feet, on this very auspicious day of your Vyas pooja. All glories to your Divine Grace!. All glories to your Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada. Dear Gurudev spiritual instruction is given by Guru and to maintain it is the duty of the disciple, anyway but your physical presence with us in Labasa is something really different, and that is what we are all missing.

Dear Srila Gurudev by the guidance of your pure devotees, the mission entrusted by you, by Srila Prabhupada is moving forward day by day with grate hope for the future. This vast dry desert of mine cannot express any genuine feelings, and I know that no amount of words is sufficient for your glories but I am indebted to you. Please allow me to always remain under the shelter of your lotus feet serving you and those dear to you.

To Remain Forever
The servant of the servant,
Pretax Rudhra Dasa, Krishna Kumari D Dasi, Kamal Lochan Dasa

Labasa, Fiji

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please kindly accept my insignificant obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to this auspicious day of your manifestation. All glories to you, servant of Srila Prabhupad. All glories to Srila Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaj. All glories to ISKCON founder Acarya Srila Prabhupad.

You have manifested in this material world just to help us (fallen souls) and you have continued relentlessly to give us guidance that is incomparable to any of such guidance we could have derived elsewhere. Even when we couldn’t follow your most beneficial instructions, out of mental and physical weaknesses of our conditioned body, you have not abandoned us. How can we repay you? Certainly, not the entire riches of this mundane world are enough to repay you.

I can not recount how merciful and compassionate you have been to us all these years. To you, aspirants and devotees are objects of love, service and support, without consideration for your own physical conveniences.

When the hurricane Katrina came, about this time last year, you were concerned about both the devotees and the general public. You asked questions about each devotee. You made sure that everyone knew where and what every other person was going through and rally support for them where necessary. You also took time to listen to what the general population of the coastal south was going through and immediately organized relief materials, volunteers, and solicited funding all alone. I was extremely fortunate to be with you then. You took a trip of the affected area and reported directly to other devotees, well-wishers and the general public. This experience I gained about you is still moving to me.

When the devotees in the New Orleans area were involved in a motor accident, you personally set aside all of your immediate commitments and went to see them at the hospital in the far corner of Texas. To you, everyone deserves attention, love and support. Krsna is indeed kind upon me to have let you come to reclaim a worthless and undeserving soul like me.

What other better and auspicious moment do I have to reflect on my life and aspirations in relation to Guru and Krsna other than this auspicious day? Your life, teachings, and activities remain the perfect example for me. Please kindly bless me to be able to follow your instructions without fail, in my sleep or awakened state.

Gurudev, you remain that Sun in the horizon dissipating my ignorance and confusion in all directions. Now that you’re here, please bless me that I do not move away into the darkened region of existence any more. Life after life, may your instructions and guidance be my solace. If you grant this prayer, it won’t matter where I find myself, in hell or in heaven, as I shall always feel the protection of your divine grace.

Srila Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaji Kijay.

Aspiring servant of your servant,
Prithu Das Adhikari

New Orleans, La.

All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to His Divine Grace Bir Krsna Goswami.

This day, today, belongs to Gurudeva. In my heart there is Gurudeva, around me is Gurudeva and when I see a picture of Gurudeva I can see this is my Spiritual father. A father who has enlightend my blind eye so my blunt brain can understand that I am caught in a material world of birth and death. And because I have imperfect senses I am not able to save myself without help from Gurudeva.

I need Gurudeva and he is the master who can tolerate the urge to speak the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world. Therefore, I belong to you so I can learn to obtain this good quality and be qualified to help other people in this world. But all is dependant on the mercy of Gurudeva. He is the Captain of the ship. The light in the night and the way to my freedom from birth and death, the only one who can save me in this lifetime.

So a special thank to you Bir Krsna Goswami. I hope you will have a great day together with yours disciple and I will ask for Gurudeva’s mercy because I can not help my self without his mercy. Let me follow in your lotus feet and obtain
His mercy. All glories to Bir Krsna Goswami.

Your servant,
Pundarika das

 

nama om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu tale
srimate bir krsna das gosvamin iti namine

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet . All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this most auspicious celebration day of your appearance within this world.

Srila Gurudeva, mere words won’t be enough to glorify you and express my gratitude to you for taking me as one of your disciples. It is only through your causeless mercy that I am now treading on the path that everybody unknowingly is hankering for. Your words enlightened my unsteady and bewildered mind. You are like a torch light in the midst of the night trying to illuminate the darkness in the mind, waking up the souls that have been sleeping for a long time. Your exemplary personality enthused us to go on with our struggle to perfect our path of devotional service.

Srila Gurudeva, you are so kind that you have picked up this conditioned soul out of the material world to take me back to godhead. You are an ocean of mercy. You are the deliverer of the fallen. So thinking that you will forgive me, I hold on to your lotus feet. Please give this benediction that I may remain your eternal servant.

Your unworthy servant,
Radha devi dasi

Ba – Fiji

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you.

To guarantee a safe journey in spiritual life means serving and listening to
you. Giving up one’s false ego, controlling the mentality and enjoying
spirit. Bad habits cannot been transcended by one’s own efforts, only by pleasing
you.

Your support and prayers are the only hope which really keep us on the right
direction. So many mistakes and misbehaviors on my part, but still you
tolerate this and you are ready to help whenever needed. Always in service.

Narottama das Thakura has written:

“Who has ever redeemed without serving the Vaisnavas? This grief
constantly rises within my mind, Narottama dasa says: Life in not worth
living without serving Sri Guru and the Vaisnavas.”

Gurudeva, Krishna has taken place in your heart. Your chanting is pleasing to the heart and soul and certainly blessed qualities are appearing in you as Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings according to Siksastakam:

“By possessing four qualities- humility, mercifulness, respect toward others and the renunciation of desires for prestige – one becomes virtuous. In such a state you may sing the glories of the Supreme Lord.”

I pray to become your faithful and humble servant.

Happy Appearance Day!

Your Servant,
Radha-kunda dasi

 

Dear Guru Maharaj,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gaura Nitai.

Your Holiness dedicated your entire life in the service of Srila Prabhupada. I take shelter of your lotus feet. On this day of your Vyas Puja we pray for your mercy.
We offer our respectful obeisance’s to Your Holiness for helping spread Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission all over the world and for this special purpose, Your Holiness appeared in this Kali Yuga.

Your Humble Servants,
Radhanath Das and Vaisnavi Seva Devi Dasi

Lautoka, Fiji Islands

 

Dear Guru Dev,

All glories to our spiritual father. Please accept our humble obeisance’s unto your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On this special day of your appearance we offer our danvat pranams unto your lotus feet. It is our greatest pleasure to wish you ‘O’ Gurudev,’ “Happy Vyas Puja”. We thank you guru for your in debtless kindness to us and giving us opportunity to do Seva to you.

It is only by your mercy ‘o’ Gurudev, that we are able to see the truth that is, Lord Krishna. Please keep on guiding us and give us opportunity for your Seva when you come to Fiji. Thank you Gurudev and wish you again “Happy Birthday”.

‘HareKrsna’

Your humble servants and disciple.
Raghunath Das and Radha Govinda Devi Dasi

Nadi, Fiji Islands

 

Hare Krishna

Dear Sri Sri His Divine Grace, Tridandi Goswami Srila Bir Krishna Goswami 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 short note of appreciation on the happy occasion of your appearance day. We appreciate your dedicated service to Lord Radha-Golokananda. We thank you for your spiritual guidance to me and my family members here and in India. Please accept our respectful obeisances. You are kindly preaching and spreading the message of Lord Caitanya and delivering many devotees in many parts of this world.

Your explanations of the pastimes of Sri Krishna and the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita are helping us to progress in the path of Krishna consciousness. A visit to New Goloka and the surrounding areas bring us peace and spiritual enlightenment. You chant the holy name sincerely, dance in ecstasy, sing with devotion, and play musical instruments harmoniously. You are always happy and serve Sri Krishna extremely well.

We thank you for 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, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Mexico, and other countries. You are a great leader in the ISKCON movement. You are helping the whole world to advance in Krishna consciousness. You give unique guidance to several Krishna temples and you are well respected and appreciated by many leaders in the ISKCON movement.

You are very merciful and freely distribute the Hare Krishna Mahamantra to all qualified disciples. Your adherence to strict Vaishnava principles is highly commendable.

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 and your sincere efforts to spread the message of Lord Sri Krishna. May Lord Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani show their mercy and support your goal of spreading the Hari Nama sankirtan in the whole world. My family members and I offer our respectful congratulations and best wishes to you on this happy occasion of your appearance day. We all wish you unlimited spiritual happiness, good health, and divine enlightenment.

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

Greensboro, North Carolina

 

 

 

vancha kalpatarubhyas ca
krpa sindhubhya eva ca
patitana, pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namah

Jaya dear Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!!! All Glories to this divine day of you appearance, all glories to you!!!

On this special day I would like to thank you for all things you have done in my life since I met you the first time at New Goloka, by your mercy I could have the opportunity to be engaged in the worship of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda.

yasya prasadad bhagavat prasado
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto pi
dhyayan stuvans tasya yasas tri sandhyam
vande guroh sri caranaravindam

By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of KRSNA. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. There for I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.

You are the person that is helping me on the path that will take me back to Krsna, because you are engaging me in His service.

You are the ocean of mercy, dripping constantly mercy unto the conditional souls, please always give me the shade of your lotus feet.

You are the person that has Krsna, and you have the power to give Him to others and by your mercy, so many conditional souls in this world are being saved because you are giving KRSNA to them.

I do not have any spiritual strength, but by your unconditional mercy I have the opportunity to be engaged in the Sankirtan movement of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and by your mercy one day I will be able to help you to serve Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you my adorable Vaisnava thakur.

Your Servant,
Ramesha das

Atlanta, Ga.

 

Dear Father,

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

nama hamsa nikasaya prabhupada priyayate
sudrdha suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

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

Another year has come, and I am wondering what I can offer you for your Vyasa-puja and what preaching activities I can report from this past year. I am at a loss for what to say. Srila Prabhupada always said that the spiritual master appears in his vapu and his vani. Of the two it is most essential to serve the vani. The spiritual master’s instructions are eternal; whereas, his vapu form exists for only a little while in this material world.

I feel extremely fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to render personal services to you. Practically speaking it is my service for you that pulls me out of bed in the morning. I feel like one of your family members, living next to you and serving you prasadam as part of my daily life.

However, I feel a loss and a deep shame because I do not feel that I am following your vani very well. You emphasize again and again that the way to achieve Srila Prabhupada’s mercy is to maintain good sadhana. You have arranged New Goloka’s morning program in such a way that it is more reasonable for working people and families to attend. And yet, being just next door to the temple, I do not take proper advantage. This is my foolishness and lack of determination.

As one of your older disciples, I should set an example for others to follow. Please Gurudeva, help me to become stronger in spiritual life. I wish to have this same good fortune of personally associating with you for the rest of my life, but that can only be done by adhering tightly to your instructions.

Your daughter and aspiring servant,
Rangadevi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of Your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Guru Parampara.
All glories to Your Divine Grace.

Although feeling absolutely unfit to glorify Your amazing transcendental qualities I beg that this offering would serve the humble attempt to somehow or other reciprocate with Your causeless mercy. I would like to express my utmost gratitude to You for giving us Your association in Estonia and Finland where I always find myself filled up with the energy of Your love and devotion to Krishna and Your beloved Spiritual Master His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. You give us that wonderful opportunity to hear about Krishna’s pastimes and we are so fortunate that we can listen to Your inspiring chanting and singing the glories of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

You always lovingly serve Srila Prabhupada and share this affection with us, thus enthusing and inspiring us with Your unflinching faith. As a true Acarya You make the principles of Krishna consciousness spread out all over the globe. I beg You that You let me follow in Your footsteps, so that I could become determined for development in Krishna consciousness.

On the most auspicious day of Your appearance I also beg that I can try and serve Your lotus feet and one day by Your mercy I become a devout follower of Lord Caitanya’s mission.

I bow down again in the dust of Your lotus feet.

Hoping to obtain an eternal shelter at Your lotus feet,
Your humble disciple,
Rangini devi dasi

Estonia

My dearest Spiritual Master,

Please accept my most humble obeisance at your lotus feet. All glories to your ever-increasing desire to elevate the most fallen people of this material world. All glories to your ever increasing desire in maintaining unity and co-operation in Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON.

brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru krishna prasad paye bhakti lata bija

Lord Chaitanya said to Rupa Goswami that out of 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 Krishna.

Maharaja after the departure of Srila Gurudev we thought that Krishna has withdrawn his mercy from us. We were shaken in our devotional service because it is only the merciful guidance of the guru that moves a sincere soul on the path of Godhead. Nevertheless it was you Maharaj that accepted our devotion and never let us feel that we are fatherless. Your help, guidance, support was seen as the mercy of the Lord and we are able to see Srila Gurudev in you.

O vaisnava thakur, Donavan
vancha kalpa atrophy’s ca krpa sindhubhya eva ca
patitamam pavenebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

Maharaj, it will be my great pleasure if I would address you as Gurudev on this occasion. O Gurudev you are vancha kalpa taru- you are a desire fulfilling tree. And my only desire is to stay in your association. I would like to express my gratitude to you for presenting bhagvat culture throughout the world particularly Fiji and not forgetting Labasa where you have established this prema-bhakti yatra.
mayare kariya jaya chandano na jaya
sadhu krpa bina ara mania upaya

Even if I can cure much blindness and defeat the Maya hangman I cannot become free from material illusion without the mercy of the sadhu-guru and the saintly devotees. Although Maya is inferior, external energy of the lord is very very strong “daivi hy esa guna mayi mama maya duratyaya. A jiva cannot conquer maya by his own strength [BG. 7.14] The krpa of sadhu guru is very powerful if only someone gets the mercy of the guru then they can conquer maya.

 

It will be extremely difficult for me to express the mercy you bestowed on me, on my village, my family and all the devotees of Prema Bhakti Dham. Your last Vyasa Puja in our yatra will always be remarkable and in our memory. I hope if my mind can help me remember the same occasion at the time of my death. To please the spiritual master means to please Krishna. Your last visit to our yatra was a unique one. The last program was at Meanketans house, the guitar night where we were able to see all the divine characteristics of your devotional service when you were dancing. All the postures you were displaying such as bhakta hanuman, Lord Ram Chandra, Krishna was unique and has been captured in our mind. O lord can you help me remember these at the time of my death. It is very rare that a materialistic person can understand what you were doing -singing and dancing and meditating on the forms of the Lord

Gurudev, please forgive if we have committed any offences at your divine lotus feet during our service to you. You are an ocean of mercy. Still it is easy to say but difficult to realize what we are saying when we compare you as the ocean. We are so insignificant when we come insight the ocean. The ocean has all the potentials such as gems, minerals and shelter to numerous living entities with abundance of their livelihood necessities.

Gurudev, I am one of the living entities wandering in this entire universe according to my karma. On this auspicious occasion of yours I am begging if you can give me shelter at your lotus feet. Once again, I humbly pray to the Supreme Lord for your long and healthy life to enable the mission of your Guru Maharaj Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,
RasaBihari Dasa

Prema Bhakti Dhama
Labasa, Fiji

 

 

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

My dear eternal beloved spiritual father, Srila Gurudeva,

On this most auspicious day of your appearance I offer my respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories on your most auspicious day, Sri Vyasa Puja.

This is a very special and auspicious day, for on this day we have the opportunity to increase our remembrance of you. Srila Gurudeva, you are like the SUN, which purifies even a filthy place. We are so contaminated and materially attached; yet just like the sun you illuminated and purify our lives.

Srila Gurudeva, I was born in darkness and remained in darkness until you accepted me as your fallen servant. You being non-different from Krishna, have been protecting and guiding me since then. You are a true representative of Lord Krishna.

On how fortunate I am to have you as my Spiritual Master and Guide. As the days go by I have become more and more aware that I am quite helpless and useless without your mercy. All my lower qualities, such as, envy, anger, laziness, intolerance, obstinacy, lack of humility and inconsiderate to others, to name a few, all became quite pronounced without your mercy. To take full shelter of your lotus feet is my only hope. Even my feeble attempts to follow your instructions bring real meaning in my life and genuine happiness in my heart.

O Vaisnava Thakura, O ocean of mercy, be merciful to me, and purify me by the shade of your lotus feet.

Controlling my six urges, and purifying me of the six faults, please give to your servant the six good qualities and six kinds of holy association.

As I strive to stabilize my life here in Sri Krishna Kaliya Dham, I pray to have a life blessed with your association and service.

Your most fallen disciple,
Rasanath das

Sri Krishna Kaliya Temple
Lautoka, Fiji

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

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

Many times we take things for granted. Krishna has so mercifully given us the opportunity to meet a Guru, the one who has the knowledge and is passing it down to us. It’s a rare gift and not so many are blessed. We don’t deserve your kind attention, yet you always fatherly care for us. Without receiving proper gratitude, you keep on encouraging, engaging us in Krishna’s/Srila Prabhupada’s service. It must be hard to see how little we reciprocate, how much unaware we are of the urgency of sincerely chanting the holy name and taking the process more seriously.

You are empowered to preach, to make a difference in the lives of many and you tirelessly, enthusiastically do it for years. We are fortunate to have you come and make the change in our lives. And, your preaching is always so incredibly new, so interesting, unique and enlivening. It’s very enjoyable and stimulating hearing your lectures.

I am begging for your continuous blessings, although I don’t deserve any. Going back to Godhead seems impossible to attain (considering my not making much progress in developing loving sentiments in Krishna consciousness). I still, just like a child, have a firm conviction that my father will always be there for me, regardless of how foolish I may be. Thank you for your compassion and understanding!
And, thank you for accepting me as your disciple!
Your servant,
Rasasundari devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva!

Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Let us thank You for granting us the opportunity to chant the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. It is truly the most valuable thing anyone can ever acquire and very few people are fortunate to have this chance in their lifetimes. You have made it the mission of Your life – to distribute this good fortune to everyone most liberally on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, so please, please let us know if there is anything we can assist You with.

Your servants,
Rasikananda das
Krisangi Devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Bir Krishna Maharaja,

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

Recently at the New Goloka temple you gave a nice lecture about being enthusiastic while performing our daily sadhana. Instead of putting our bodies on automatic, we should be conscious of everything we are doing. In that way, we will experience great happiness during each part of the morning program. For example, if we really understand that Krishna is in His holy name, there is will be no question that we will fall asleep while chanting.

That lecture was very powerful for me because you are showing me not just with your words but also with your example. You always look excited about the morning program, especially chanting japa. Just seeing your enthusiasm encourages me to take advantage of each item of devotional service that Srila Prabhupada has given us and to relish each part of the morning program as a wonderful time to pray and serve Lord Krishna and His devotees.

Thank you very much for showing me by your example how to be steady in spiritual life. Thank you for your kindness in always engaging me in singing and playing mrdanga for you. And thank you for all the mercy you have shown me and my family.

Please bless me so that I can develop an attachment and steadiness in my service to Lord Krishna and my spiritual master. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to please you.

Your servant,
Ratna Radhika devi dasi

New Goloka, NC

Dearest Gurudeva,

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

It gives me great joy to glorify your divine personality. I am very fortunate to be your disciple and receive your divine instructions so that unlimited anarthas from my heart are eradicated.

I am very impressed with your overwhelming dedication to Srila Prabhupad and your continuous travel to preach Krsna Consciousness. We are so fortunate to receive your spiritual guidance. Thank you for coming to Fiji regularly. Thank you for making so much effort to give us wonderful lectures, seminars and slide presentations. This is all out of your genuine love for us. You are carrying out your responsibilities with utmost devotion and dedication.

You are an ideal preacher. You fulfill the true meaning of acarya – preaching by examples. Your diet and health concerns are admirable. I have learned so much about good diet from you.

You possess all the 26 qualities of a pure devotee. Your equal vision and universal love for all is outstanding. You take extra care not to hurt anybody. When you talk, you are very selective in choosing your words and you will speak enough, and no more than required.

Your presentation of Bhagavatam and vaisnava philosophy is with startling clarity and uniqueness. You are well versed with all scriptures and give us an excellent application of the verses in our lives. You have a very sharp memory and your intelligent discussion of philosophy is full of humor.

We are very fortunate to be your disciples. Thank you for your guidance and mercy. You take care of us like a concerned father.

We pray that Lord Krishna and Srimati Radharani give you a lot of strength, good health and unlimited wisdom to preach to the whole world.

Wish you a very happy Vyaspooja.

Your servants,
Rupanuga Das, Radhakaruna Devi Dasi
& kids Rishav and Varshana

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to You Srila Gurudeva!

Please accept my respectful obeisances again and again at your lotus feet on this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja.

I have no qualification to glorify you dear Srila Gurudeava, but I am very happy that by your causeless mercy an unworthy person like me become your disciple.

Please forgive me my offences because due to my impurity I cannot even realize a small spark of your mercy.

Your servant,
Sabina

 

 

 

 

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to your Lotus Feet, Srila Gurudeva!!

Please accept my most humble obeisances!!

I pray that you receive many blessings on your appearance day!! My words cannot express how grateful I am to you. I thank you so much for the kindness and mercy that you have shown to me as I have communicated with you through e-mail! I am so grateful to Krishna for arranging that I would have your association, even if only though e-mail! Your advice and guidance are always sincere and exactly what I need to hear to make it through whatever challenges I experience in this life. Thank you for sharing the wisdom, with which Krishna has blessed you, with me!

Your servant,
Samantha

Atlanta, GA

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

All glories to Srila Prabhupada & Srila Gurudeva.
All glories to His Holiness Bir Krishna Goswami Maharaja.

Please accept my most humble obeisances at you divine lotus feet.

Dear Guru Maharaja,

That day has come again when fallen souls like me try to fathom your glories with our limited and imperfect knowledge. This day is very beneficial for all your disciples because today they try or feel to rededicate themselves to this process of devotional service.

This knowledge of Krishna consciousness is the topmost and highly confidential but by your causeless mercy you have permitted us to learn and practice it but we are so unfortunate that we have no attraction for them. Despite my unwillingness please force me to accept our causeless mercy.

Begging to remain the Servant of all your servants,
Sanantana Das

Suva, Fiji Islands

 

 

 

My dear spiritual master Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and all glories to your divine grace.

I feel so fortunate to have such a pure hearted soul as yourself take a personal interest in my spiritual life. Your spiritual presence is acutely vibrant
while also having a sweet, calming effect which touches all beings you come in contact with. Your vision and discourses on Krishna consciousness are
completely illuminating and animated, being filled with your grounded faith and transcendental humor.

Through your words I am able to see the world around me with a spiritual vision. You expertly eradicate all philosophical deviations. You walk with a
confidant gait leaving mental speculators in your wake. Your determination never falters. Your dependability never wavers. Despite your position and
many responsibilities you remain unassuming and available.

Thank you for your wonderful association and guidance Srila Gurudeva. I have so many wonderful memories, which I hold dear to my heart, of all the time I have gotten to spend with you in spiritual life. You once said in Mayapur, “Not only should we present Krishna consciousness, but we should represent Krishna
consciousness.” I pray that I can somehow represent you through my activities and thus make you proud.

Your spiritual daughter,
Sankirtana dasi
Boston, MA

 

To my most dear and beloved spiritual Father,
Hare Krsna.

namo om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bir krishna das goswamin iti namine

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

namo hamsa-nikashaya prabhupada-priyaya te
su-dridha-suddhi-nishtabyam tasya vakya nuvadine

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.

When, by Krsna’s grace, I first met you, which was not too long ago, although it feels like quite some time ago, I was naive and even though I intellectually understood that initiation is not to be taken lightly and even though I thought of myself as being sincere and respectful, I had no idea how big of a commitment it really is. And yet, just a couple of weeks after we first met, you accepted me as your disciple.

I felt the effects immediately. The love and affection that you have for your sons and daughters is overwhelmingly strong – you truly care and see us as your children. I can tell you now how appreciative I am, and how my heart is full with gratitude for what you have already done, for all your thoughts, sacrifices, prayers, blessings, well-wishes, and for everything that you are to me and will be in the future, and lifetimes to come, but neither words nor actions will ever be able to repay you for even a fraction of your endless mercy.

Over the course of the following months, I learned how initiation is really a process, that had started way before I met you in person, continuing through the months that lead to the formal initiation, and that process will continue indefinitely. It’s a process of purification, transformation, growth and ever-growing love, devotion and friendship – to you and to Krsna, to my Vaisnava family and to everyone else.

I’d like to share a dream I had a few months ago: I was following you, literally in your footsteps as it was raining and there was mud on the ground, through some big, dark city with lots of billboards, lots of noise and lots of people, many of them not seeming very nice and up to no good. I remember thinking something like: “Oh my, if I were here by myself I’d be completely freaking out!” Just following in your footsteps made me feel safe. Just being in your presence made all the difference in the world. I turned my head for one second, being distracted by noise and/or some advertisement, and when I looked back to where I thought you would be, I did not see you. All I could think was that I was alone, and immediately, I felt intense anxiety and panic. I stumbled and fell. Hundreds of people around me, it was very dark, and very frightening. I thought I could not get up again. When I felt as if I could not bear the anxiety and panic anymore, there you were, holding out your hand to help me up/to pull me up. The touch of your hand meant everything to me.
As you know, that dream is really a metaphor of everything that you are to me. In this dark and scary material world, I was found, and I am trying very hard to follow in your footsteps despite plenty of distractions around: meaning, I chant, meditate, listen to your lectures, read and do my own much needed work in order to be able to better serve, and I preach according to my own realizations. I do get distracted, I do make mistakes, I do fall down, and even though I try extremely hard to not make offenses, I do make offenses – and yet, no matter what I do, you are always there, you are always pulling me up, again and again – assuring me with your words, presence, love and affection that I now am safe.

There’s much more work to be done, and even though it sometimes seems unbearable, I will not give up, and continue my attempts to serve you and to assist you in continuing my dear Grandfather Srila Prabhupada’s mission.
And even though this is the day of your appearance, a day to glorify you, I would also like to glorify the person who brought me to Krsna Consciousness, and continues to be such a wonderful presence in my life as my shiksa guru, my mother, my sister, my friend and sometimes also my daughter: Mother Kamra. Thank you.

With this humble attempt of expressing my love, friendship and devotion that is constantly growing and getting stronger, I give in to the long had desire of throwing myself at your feet and surrender – yet another layer.
May Lord Nrisimhadeva protect you and Sri Hanumanji give you extra strength on your travels and always!
Srila Bir Krsna Maharaj – Ki Jaya!

Eternally grateful for your mercy,
Your daughter and servant,
Sarah

 

Dearest Gurudev,
Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you!

Thank you so much Gurudev for taking such good care of your health this year. This means so much to all of us that your physical body is strong and that we will be able to have your personal association for many years to come. It is so nice to see you so full of energy and vigor!

Each year we write to you, and each year it is even more amazing how many people’s lives you touch and give love of Krsna. Your attachment to Srila Prabhupada is an inspiration to us all.

Krsna is so kind in always engaging us, and you are so kind in giving us the sanctuary of the Holy Names. You are the perfect example of a “Vaikuntha Man.” You give shelter to us all, and are constantly traveling far and wide to spread the mission of Lord Caitanya as given by our beloved Srila Prabhupada.

Thank you so much Gurudev for your generosity and vision. May you have the happiest of Appearance Days today and so many more to come.

Your servant,
Saranam dasi

 

 

Dear Srila Bir Krsna Maharaj,

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

Please accept our respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet. Another year is over and now it is time to offer our homage to you on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa puja. We feel stronger spiritually and also feel honored to be part of the New Goloka Community. Wherever we see you, we see tirth there. Because you sincerely desire to be engaged in preaching and want to please Srila Prabhupada, I have witnessed for many, many years now how much you have expanded your Krishna consciousness family here. In Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krsna says (3:21)

yad yad acarti sresthas
tad tad evetaro janah

Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standard he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

We pray for many returns and best wishes to you in your dedication to the service of Sri Sri Radha Golokananda and His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

Your humble servants,
Satyavrata dasa, Krishna Kumari and family

 

My dear Gurudeva!

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust at Your Lotus feet.

Ones again I have the opportunity to try to add something for Your glorification.
The more I am thinking about You, the more I feel enlivened. I am getting
back to a more blissful and satisfying consciousness and I am realizing
how fare away I am actually am from You and Your instructions.

My attachment to home, husband, children and grandchildren is still so
strong. I realized this, when my husband got a big operation and I was not
sure if he will survive. You wrote me at that time that You and all the devotees in New Goloka will pray for him and I want to thank You all for this. I realized that
great fortune to have You, Your mercy, your instructions, Your devotees and
the holy name. How unfortunate are does who don’t know.

I wish I could more live my life for Your satisfaction, helping others, chanting purely and do what You like me to do. I have gotten so much from You. You
are completely resembling Srila Prabhupada. Everything You speak sounds
so real in life and it is in Prabhupada’s books. You are an expert preacher
full of realizations, Your lectures are never dry, so interesting that even
my husband can not stop hearing them. I am thanking You so much. I hope this nectar what comes from Your Lotus feet, which is the desire to please Krishna and Your spiritual Master the love, taste and attachment You have for them, will enter my heart also and that I can be fixed in the service at Your Lotus feet.

Your fallen aspiring servant,
Saumyarupa dd

 

My dear worshipable Spiritual Master,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to your Divine Grace Srila Gurudev.

Please accept my most humble obeisances on this most auspicious day of your Divine Appearance.

Dear Gurudev, indeed it is very fortunate for me to receive your blessing and having the opportunity to glorify & worship you with all my sincerity.

Dear Gurudev, you are full of compassion for the conditioned soul like me and during this Goura Purnima Festival even though I am fallen and unfortunate you have remembered me by name and called for Sipivista as you remembered all your surrendered disciples and I was not fortunate enough to have your association.

Dear Gurudev, I came to take your darshan and you were in the G.B.C meeting, and then I had to go to Jagannath Puri, and when I came back to Mayapur I found that you have already left Mayapur.

When I knew that you have left Mayapur I was feeling your separation for not being able to take your darshan. Dear Gurudev, today is the day I humbly beg you for your blessings and mercy so that I may be able to serve Srila Prabhupada and His Mission and your Divine Grace Srila Gurudev.

Your’s insignificant humble disciple,
Sipivista Das

From ISKCON Sri Lanka

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

Dearest Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our most humble obeisance at your lotus feet for the Vyasa Puja day. All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

The first time I saw you at Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Chandra temple, I decided that I would accept you as my guru. Before that I followed so many paths but never succeeded in any one of the them but after joining the Hare Krishna movement and association of the devotees I was satisfied that l was following the correct path.

Please always give me your blessings so that we may always serve you, the devotees and Krishna.

Today we really feel happy to be a disciple of yours.

Srila Gurudev ki Jai

Your most fallen servants,
Sri Ram Das
Maya Priya Devi Dasi

Labasa, Fiji

 

 

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 humble obeisances to your lotus feet.

I´m a very lucky soul as you accepted me as your servant, your student
and your daughter. I’m so grateful to you, because your guidance and
kindness is the only thing which has kept me going on in Krsna consciousness. You have been my dearest spiritual father in every step on my way. And I could never be able to put in words how thankful I am to you and Krishna as Krishna has sent you to help me in Krsna consciousness.

Sincerely,
Your humble servant,
Srimati dd

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet million times.

On the celebrated day upon which you made your appearance, your aspiring servant simply begs for more strength and determination to be able to keep struggling in your service. Please Srila Gurudeva, I am begging for your mercy to intervene and deliver me because this is a very desperate case. Please empower me to spread Krsna’s movement by chanting the Holy Name, preaching and distributing prasadam for the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna and Srila Prabhupada’s pleasure. And to strengthen me in spreading your mission everywhere. Help me to be able to have control over my senses and over come greed and lust. Please give me the determination to help others. All glories to your divine appearance and wonderful activities on this planet to deliver all fallen condition souls.

Your unworthy servants,
Srivasa takhura dasa
Malini dd
Rukmini

Thailand

 

 

Dear Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you and your powerful service to his mission.

Thank you for your excellent example of service to Krsna, Guru and the devotees. Your constant service to ISKCON is like the teacher’s letter “A” on a handwriting assignment. The teacher shows how to make the letter perfectly on the page and the student tries to copy it. When the student forgets he only has to look at the example to see the right way to do it. Your Krsna consciousness is like that. You are showing me and if I can copy you I will be doing well.

Thank you for always being there to show how I should focus on Krsna even as circumstances are changing. You are always adapting to carry on your service expertly. I pray to have the strength to properly apply Krsna consciousness to my life in the coming year. If I am successful in my family duties including remembering Krsna, it will be to your credit.

Your Servant,
Subal das

New Goloka, N.C.

 

 

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

Dearest Gurudev,

On this auspicious day I remember you and pray to Srila Prabhupada for his blessings. I pray to Srimati Radha Rani for your good health and safety.

Gurudev, you have changed my life which was in darkness. You showed me the light of Krsna consciouness. Each day of my life depends on your mercy. My morning starts with your darshan and pooja (mangal arti). Due to your mercy I am able to live a Krishna conscious life and help in preaching activities. You are very dear to me.

Gurudev, you are most humble and selfless. We love your divine association when you chant and dance to the holy names. We love to hear you speaking Krishna katha. You are a representative of Lord Sri Krsna. I am a very fallen soul and my mind is giving me trouble. I remember your divine lotus feet for shelter. I pray to Srimati Radha Rani that I have your association always and forever. I will always serve your lotus feet with all my heart and soul.
Happy long long life to my dearest Gurudev.

JAY GURUDEV !

Your most fallen servants,
Sundari D Dasi
Shyama Manjari

 

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

Dear Srila Guru Maharaj,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. On this special day of your holy appearance, our family would like to give heartful thanks to Your Holiness for guiding us fallen souls back to Godhead.

Only by the mercy of Sri Krishna we met Your Holiness and by Guru’s mercy one gets Krishna.

Your humble servants,
Suvilas Das,
Radha Mohini Devi Dasi,
Bhakta Sanjanesh,
Bhaktin Sanjini & Shayal

Lautoka, Fiji Islands

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Prabhupada.

As I read your offering to Srila Prabhupada this year on his Appearance Day, I couldn’t help but think of how you have taken on the same qualities you pointed out about Srila Prabhupada. You have been such an amazing spiritual father. From nurturing the initial seed of interest with great time and attention, to personally training me in many aspects of devotional service (like avoiding the rurus), spiritual advising, and unconditional encouragement, you have always been there as a great spiritual father. I thank you for all of the years you have put into my spiritual life, and look forward to a day when I can devote more time to assisting you with Srila Prabhupada’s mission. As for now, as I finish my residency here in Florida, I am thankful to be surrounded by so many nice Vaisnavas, and to again have the association of the devotees, so that I can be reminded more frequently to serve you and Srila Prabhupada. I continue to work hard in academics and the medical community so that I can use any influence I may gain to show others their true spiritual reality. We have made much headway. I thank you for all your encouragement and guidance with these endeavors. You are a wonderful spiritual father. Thank you!

Your servant,
Syama dd

Gainsville, Fl.

 

Dear Gurudev,

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

Thank you for all your blessings.

Happy Vyasa Puja! Happy Birthday!!

I just wanted to say thank you so very much for being in my life, for being my guide, for being my guru. Your mercy, kindness and encouragement mean the world to me.

You gave me support and shelter at your feet – with so much generosity and
confidence – at a time when I felt least worthy, I am eternally grateful to you.

I never feel like I am ever far from you, you are always just an email away 🙂

My eternal thanks to Radhe Syam for sending you into my life – in the
special way that he did and still does! I feel truly blessed.

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

Hare Krishna!

With obeisances.
Your servant,
Syamapriya

namah om visnu padaya
krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate bir krishna das
goswami iti namine

namo hamsa nikasaya
prabhupada priyaya te
su drdha sudi nistabyam
tasya vakya nuvadine

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.

I am asking myself how can a conditional soul, like me, glorify such a special person, famous, eternal servant of Srila Prabhupada, who has hunderds of disciples all over the world and has unshakable love to Sri Krishna in his heart.

There is nothing I could say that would not sound like frog’s quacking in the pond.

But however, I am much obliged to Your parents, who are very famous
assumed an important responsibility of conception, giving birth and educating You. Knowing that, it was done just for our credit, I cannot help remembering them on this great day of Your appearance in this material world.

In this very moment You could be in spiritual world playing with Krishna and his eternal friends, but no – You came here just to rescue us. You breathe this stinking air just for us, You eat almost poisonous food for us, You are spending Your health for us… What a great, unlimited love for Krishna should be in Your
precious heart. Will I ever get the chance to understand all these things?

I am saying that I am Your servant. I should be Your servant. But what is happening? All the time I am asking You for Your mercy, for doing that and this for me, making You my servant and this shows what a rascal I am. But in fact I cannot do anything alone, I need You more and more, I depend upon You and I am so glad knowing that I have You. All the time, all the single moment You are here and I feel that.

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.

Thank You? What is this? May I do something better than saying thank You
all the time? I am chanting, I am taking care of my daughter like You instructed me, but I would really like to do something just for You. To my sorrow I have no idea what.
And You never ask me anything. But again maybe one day…

This is so mental. Fortunately there is another year in front of us. I gave a vow on my initiation and I am going to keep it in the future. I will try to be a good servant to the other devotees, just to satisfy You, because it is the only one most important happiness in the whole world for me and that is Your satisfied smile on
Your transcendental face.

Thank You for Your time and we wish You continued a good health.

Your ever servants,
Taralaksi devi dasi and
Prithi dasi

 

 

 

nama om visnu padaya krishna preshtaya bhutale
srimate tamal krishna goswamin iti namine

nama om visnu padaya krishna preshtaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

nama om visnu padaya krishna preshtaya bhutale
srimate bir Krishna das goswamin iti namine

Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Gurudeva, all glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to you and your Vyasa puja.

It is a very wonderful day for the vaisnavas on this auspicious occasion to glorify you on your Vyasa puja day. Maharaja, thank you for taking care of Srila Gurudeva’s responsibilities and taking nice care of his disciples in his absence in this material world. You are so merciful to his disciples that you performed the opening ceremony for Srila Gurudeva’s memorial garden last year, here in New Varshana, Auckland, New Zealand. That shows you have got so much love and affection for your godbrothers because you are taking care of us so nicely. This is so inspiring for me because I have learned from you how to associate with my godbrothers and godsisters and take care of them. It is so kind of you when you call my name “Tilakini”, and it reminds me of my guru maharaja’s voice, that makes me feel really happy.

You are so dedicated to Srila Prabhupada that whenever you come to Auckland, your schedule is so full with home-visits and it is very exhausting for you, but still you are so merciful to the devotees that you go to all the devotees houses and give them your association and encourage them more and more in Krishna consciousness.

I’m always looking forward to your visits to New Zealand, then I can cook delicious prasadam for you and serve you and the devotees. Your morning class and kirtan are very ecstatic and that really inspires me more in Krishna consciousness.

Please, Mahraja, please bestow a few drops of mercy upon me and my godbrothers and godsisters on this auspicious day of your Vyasa puja.

Your servant of the servant of the servant of the servant,
Tilakini devi dasi

Auckland, New Zealand

 

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances on this most auspicious occasion! All glories to your divine grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Gee, I’d sing Happy Appearance Day for you, but I’d hate to have to see you end up in the hospital with a heart attack or worse.

Other than that, in all seriousness, I’ll read something Srila Prabhupada spoke or wrote in India, on Feb. 2,1976.

He say’s “Spiritual master’s qualification is he’s trying his best to deliver the soul from these clutches of maya. That is a great service. Therefore he is very dear. One who is chanting or executing devotional service for his personal benefit and one who is trying to deliver others for others’ benefit, there is a difference.”

Therefore we can understand from Srila Prabhupada’s words, which are also reflecting Lord Krishna’s in Bhagavad Gita, that you are very dear to Lord Krishna, Srimati Radharani, Sri Sri GauraNitai, all the great souls and especially your own dear spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. In all these years I have never seen you NOT trying to deliver others’ for their benefit. This is a symptom of one who is already absorbed in a very deep pure hearted loving relationship with Their Lordships, hence all living entities, regardless of the body. This is the real thing, love, from which comes also real compassion. Not this Coke thing.

Most fortunate am I and anyone else that simply tries their best to take shelter of your instructions, or at least gets stepped on by you.

Please bless me to become a better instrument for you.

Your servant,
Mother Tulasi

ps. Hmmm…what was that joke about Christmas time, with the Catholic, Christian and Jewish boy? They forgot about the Hare Krishnas’

New Goloka, N.C.

 

To My Dearest Father,

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

Happy Vyasa Puja. Your homage for your Guru really described what the meaning is for an eternal father. You described Srila Prabhupada in the same way I would describe you. You have taken the qualities of Srila Prabhupada. I hope one day by your mercy we can to take some of your qualities.

Thank you for being there for all of us.
You are always in my thoughts and prayers

Your Daughter,
Tulasi Devi Dasi

My Dearest Gurumaharaj,

Please accept my useless obeisances. All glories to you and your service to Prabhupada on your Appearance Day.

Once again I have nothing of value to offer, I fear
As I attempt to write an offering to you this year.

Once again you have several new projects afloat
While maya (at my job) has grabbed me by the throat

Once again, devotees who’ve surrendered to your feet
Are helping you with preaching projects to complete

Once again, while you celebrate Radha’s glorious appearance
I find myself mired in material adherence

Once again, you have been most patient and kind
While I follow the dictates of my stubborn mind

Once again though I cannot serve as is your due,
Not able even to make an oat cake for you
(It looks like a latke)

Once again, though it’s an honor I do not deserve,
You allow me to cook for you as well as serve

Once again you try my material entanglements to unknit
While you mercifully allow me to stay in your ambit

Once again your music is what keeps me on keel
For I am, as you said, “a hamster on a wheel”

Once again I find that I must kneel at your feet now,
And ask for the causeless mercy that you mete out

Once again I pray to hold on to the oar
To cross the material sea and serve you more

Thank you for continuing to allow me to be your disciple.

Your “hamster”,
Tungavidya devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, our dear most
ever-well wisher. All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All glories
to Your devotional service.

There are many qualities to pick from to glorify you on this auspicious
day, but I would like to emphasis one: that is your ability to think outside
of the box. When it comes to serving your spiritual master in the realm
of Your GBC duties, You let Krsna and Prabhupada guide You. You do what
they desire, even when it does not fit with the status quo. When You expand
your preaching, You do not limit Yourself to what has been done before, but
try to package Krsna consciousness in a way that will attract the present
day audience. And when You engage Your disciples in the mission of Lord
Caitanya, You adjust to their unique circumstances and engage them
according to their ability and nature. By doing this You have allowed me to
expand my own horizons and reach within the depths of my heart to find a deeper
connection to guru and Krsna. Thank you for Your openness to meeting
the needs of the living entities of Kali Yuga.

Your servant,
Uttara devi dasi

New Goloka, N.C.

 

nama om visnu padaya krishna preshtaya bhutale
srimate bir krishna das goswamin iti namine

namo hamsa nikashaya prabhupada priyaya te
sudrida suddhi nistabhyam tasya vakyanuvadine

nama om visnu padaya krishna preshtaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

namaste sarasvate deve gaura-vani pracharine
nirvisesa sunyavadi paschatya desa tarine

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to your lotus feet on this most auspicious day of your Vyasa puja. Please accept this small offering and prayer to you on this special day.

Dearest Guru Maharaja, happy Vyasa puja day. We pray that Lord Nrsimhadeva always protect you from all directions so that you can continue serving Srila Prabhupada in his mission and spreading Lord Caitanya’s message to fallen living entities like me.

Thank you for your mercy and kindness upon me. In one Srimad Bhagavatam class, one senior devotee said that mercy is not something that is due to us, it is given to us by Lord Krishna and the Vaisnavas out of Their causeless mercy. By your causeless mercy as the transparent via medium, you are purifying our minds and hearts of all the anarthas by your instructions and by your example so that we can endeavor to follow in your footsteps and follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions too. You have given me the opportunity to serve the deities on the altar. It is definitely purifying, all the anarthas are magnified and without the association of the devotees and the instructions of the Vaisnavas (guru, sadhu and sastra) it is very difficult to try to cleanse the heart. All these material desires come for happiness and good situation, but we are always reminded that this material world is a place of misery, without the spiritual master (you), the material world seems overwhelming. You make troubles and worries seem so trivial and by talking to you by e-mail really helps me. The power of the Lords holy name is tangible when heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord.

Thank you so much for your instructions and guidance and your kindness. I beg for your mercy. By your mercy and the mercy of the Vaisnava’s I hope that I can serve you in your mission to Srila Prabhupada and I pray that I can always please you and follow your instructions properly.

Trying to be your worthy daughter,
Your servant and daughter,
Vaisnavi d.d.

New Varshana, 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!

Transcendentally happy birthday to You, Srila Gurudeva!!!! I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be connected with You. Still, in order to reveal respect and gratitude I can offer only these clumsy words. Thank You for being my guide, my stickler, and the savior of my soul. Thank You for being my authority, my true friend, and the funniest person on planet earth. Thank You for being merciful, understanding, and compassion personified. Thank You for being here, surrounded by a multitude of followers, and thank You for being You!

Your servant,
Venu Gopala Das

Finland

 

 

 

Dear Maharaj,

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

I am very grateful to you for tolerating me & my foolish questions for last one year. I am very grateful to you for answering my doubts & questions with
great concern & love & with simple & practical explanation.

And I am very very grateful to you for praying to Sri Sri Radha
Kunjhabihari for the betterment of my spiritual life.

Mercy is causeless & is defined as ” that which we do not deserve”.
An opportunity of service to Lord Krishna is also mercy.
A prayer by a sincere & pure devotee is also mercy.

I have seen & experienced that somehow, with no reason to explain for,
my life has changed & unfavorable elements have disappeared & favorable
situations have arrived in my spiritual life. It is all because of your sincere prayer to the Lord that He has brought about light in my dark life, inspite of my disqualification of having tremendous envy towards Him.
This is mercy.

Thus i pray to Sri Sri Radhakunjabhari that i honor, respect & cherish
& never become careless & complacent to this mercy, awarded to me by the special request of Srila Prabhupads dear & sincere son.
I pray to the Lord that he correct me if i commit a huge mistake by taking this mercy cheaply.

Thank you Maharaj for being so kind, loving & caring & praying for me.

Your Servant,
Vipul

Pune, India

 

Dear Srila Gurudeva, my beloved spiritual father,

On this occasion of your auspicious Vyasa-puja day, I, your humble servant,
offer my repeated obeisances unto your divine lotus feet. All glories to
Srila Prabhupada.

Gurudeva, how can I thank you enough for the kindness and tolerance you
are showing me, although I don’t deserve it, because I am such a rascal for
not helping you in your service to Srila Prabhupada.

Gurudeva, you are taking more and more service on your shoulders, and I
am giving them up, how can you be pleased with me, I can only lament and
cry.

Gurudeva, please grant me spiritual strength and purity which is
necessary for me to become constantly absorbed in Krishna consciousness.

Gurudeva, I beg for your mercy, because I am so much dependant upon it.

Gurudeva, thank you so much for everything.

Your eternal insignificant servant who is very grateful to be under your
loving care.

Visakha dd

 

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

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

Querido Gurudeva le escribo estas humildes frases para desearle siempre lo mejor, para decirle que estoy intentando ser un buen sirviente para una gran alma quien es muy querida por el señor Krishna, por eso seguiré cantando Hare Krishna, para cuando llegue ese día, usted tal vez me de la misericordia y me deje ser su discípulo eternamente y para servirlo a usted gurudeva. En este día tan ospicioso espero que se la este pasando muy bien con todos sus queridos discípulos que tanto lo quieren, cuando venga a México tratare de servirlo humildemente y también aprenderé mas de su conocimiento que nos trasmite cada vez que usted dice alguna palabra.

Gurudeva solo me queda desearle siempre lo mejor y espero que en este día tan bonito y ospicioso se la este pasando muy contento como todos los años en el que se celebra su aparición, y pues gracias Gurudeva por haberme dejado asociar con usted las veces que ha venido a Ratha-Yatra de México en Guadalajara. Me despido de usted gurudeva con unas reverencias al polvo de sus pies de loto y todas las glorias a Bir Krishna das y Srila Prabhupada. ¡¡ HARI BOLLLL!!.

Su eterno sirviente,
Visala dasi

Mexico

Dear Guru Maharaj,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. On this special day of your appearance day we offer our danavat pranam unto your lotus feet. Chanting the holy name, singing and playing musical instrument, our spiritual master His Holiness looks blissful and on this special day we pray for your same beautiful glance and mercury on us.

Your humble servants,
Visnujana Das, Naradi Devi Dasi

Lautoka, Fiji Islands

 

All Glories To my Spiritual Master

Dear 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

Sus Senorias Sri Sri Radha Golokananda estan felices de que su bienqueriente
devoto puro esta celebrando su vyasa puya.

Gurudev muchos obstaculos han pasado, pero con su misericordia sin causa he sobre salido le pido que me perdone por las ofensas que he cometido y tambien pido perdon a sus bienquerientes devotos.

Gurudev tenga compacion de esta insignificante alma condicionada,le pido que me ayude para poder salir adelante.

Le escribio estas insignificantes lineas,
Vrindavan d.

New Goloka, N.C.