Shalini Talwar

My dearmost Guru Maharaja,

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

I consider myself very fortunate to have this opportunity to appreciate you on this glorious day of your Vyāsa-pūjā, but again, due to my limited intelligence, I find myself incompetent to express my gratitude towards you. Guru Maharaja, I am dependent on your mercy for every little effort I make in my life. I pray at your lotus feet to bless me with sufficient intelligence so that I can adore you to my heart’s content. It’s only by the grace of a spiritual master that one can achieve all spiritual perfection in life and attain Krsna’s lotus feet.

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 1.45, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī says that Krsna in the form of a spiritual master delivers a disciple. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in Harinama Cintamani states that a disciple cannot make any spiritual progress if he considers their spiritual master to be a material product. Guru Maharaja, for me, Krsna is manifested in your form and He reciprocates through you. My affection towards you is my affection towards Krsna. Recently, we recited Gopī Gītā at Gopī Talav, and the last line of Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.31.9, “bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ,” touched my heart. Śrīla Prabhupada’s translation says those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent. Guru Maharaja, you are the most munificent personality, a mahā-bhāgavata (as confirmed by Śrī Yaśodānandana Prabhu from ISKCON Ahmedabad) in Lord Caitanya’s unmanifested pastimes. Śrīla Prabhupada, in one of his purports, revealed that ISKCON is a branch of Lord Caitanya’s tree. You, as a part of that branch, very mercifully are transmitting transcendental knowledge to all of us. The words emanating from your mouth cleanse our impure hearts and awaken our dormant Krsna consciousness. Guru Maharaja, you, in service to Śrīla Prabhupada, are helping us make our attraction grow stronger towards Krsna by a simple process described by Kuntī Mahārāṇī in her prayers, Nārada Muni’s instructions to Vyāsadeva and Lord Kapila’s teachings to Devahūti – the process of srnvanti gayanti grnanti – hearing, chanting and accepting the glories of Lord Krsna (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.36, 1.5.11, and 3.25.23, respectively).

Guru Maharaja, you have dedicated your life to strictly following Śrīla Prabhupada’s instructions. You, by your personal example, have shown us the standard of performing “service in separation” which unveils your feelings of gratitude towards Śrīla Prabhupada. Your appreciation for Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahāraja and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī is outstanding and is quite evident in your lectures and seminars. Guru Maharaja, you have very mercifully shared with us the elevated literature of our Gosvāmīs like Brhad-bhagavatamrta and a glimpse of Lalita-mādhava, which is like a gleam of a crest jewel.

 
Guru Maharaja, I am eternally indebted to you; the seed of devotion is implanted in my heart by your pure words. I feel bound by your words and enthusiastic in following your instructions with my body, mind and words. Revealed scriptures say the spiritual master is as worshipable as the Supreme Lord. I adore you and worship you with my whole heart.

Guru Maharaja, I pray that Krsna blesses you with a healthy and very long life so that you can continue with your service to Śrīla Prabhupada and bless us with devotion towards Krsna.

Hare Krsna!!

Aspiring to be your humble servant,
Shalini Talwar