Satyavrata dasa and Krtamala devi dasi
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate romapada-svamin iti namine
Our dear Guru Maharaja,
Hare Krsna! Please accept our humble obeisances in the dust of your divine lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Guru Maharaja, in one of the classes, you were sharing a realization how these three points of your introspection and contemplation helped you to remain attached to Srila Prabhupada’s Hare Krsna movement.
- There is higher reality beyond this material cosmic manifestation.
- I do not know this.
- I want to know about it.
You went through many scriptures and finally, Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita answered all your questions and made you satisfied at heart. Your love, regard, respect, faith, loyalty and integrity to Srila Prabhupada and his teachings have been ever increasing. Today we could clearly see the utmost purity in your life through your personal conduct and speech.
Similar thing comes to our mind about Srila Sanatana Gosvami who approaches Caitanya Mahaprabhu with total humility. Sanatana Gosvami confessed to the Lord, “People believe that I am a great learned man, and I am so foolish that I believe it myself. But what to speak of being learned, I don’t even know who am I? And why do I suffer in material life?”
When he got the answer from Caitanya Mahaprabhu that “The living entity’s constitutional position is to be an eternal servant of Krsna”, he was fully satisfied and became a glorious example of one who lived as per the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
We see so many examples in the scripture as well as in our day-to-day life, where people who were totally confused, filled with perplexities and anxieties, but the moment they take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, their illusions are dispelled, doubts are cleared, intelligence purified and remain fixed at the lotus feet of Krsna.
In our life, we were never inquisitive to know about the Absolute Truth. Even after knowing, we were never serious about it. But somehow or other by the constant association of saintly persons like you we developed a desire to live by the religious principles. How merciful you are!!! You are a bona fide representative of Krsna. Without your mercy we don’t have any access to Krsna. I recollect a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.2.23
aho baki yam stana-kala-kutam
jighamsayapayayad apy asadhvi
lebhe gatim dhatry-ucitam tato ’nyam
kam va dayalum saranam vrajema
“Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon (Putana) although she was unfaithful and she prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?”
What we are today is because of your causeless mercy, unconditional love and immense compassion. Everything has a limit, but the tolerance of a saintly person is incomprehensible. Their thoughts, actions and interactions are beyond imagination. He is like a tree who gives shelter and even when somebody cuts, he never protests. Since the beginning, in your association we have personally witnessed these transcendental qualities in you which are the ornaments of a sadhu.
titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-dehinam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah
“The symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.21]
We thoroughly understand that “the materialistic way of life is something like a grinding stone, and we are being crushed by it. We are experiencing pain because of two things, namely separation from our beloved (Krsna) and meeting with what is not wanted (maya).” Very carefully you have been training us how to say, “Yes to Krsna and No to maya”. We are eternally grateful and indebted to you Guru Maharaja for your ongoing mercy in our life in an uninterrupted manner. We are fully happy and satisfied with our relationship with you.
On this auspicious appearance day, we humbly seek your blessings to remain faithful and grateful to you throughout our life.
Your aspiring servants,
Satyavrata dasa and Krtamala devi dasi