Anant Srivastav

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Hare Krsna! Please accept my humble obeisance at your lotus feet. I am very grateful to His Grace Satyavrata Prabhu for giving me this opportunity to offer my sincere gratitude through this letter.

I was emotionally down. Maya was holding me tightly, following devotional life falsely, quarreling every day with devotees and even ordinary human beings, puffed up with my dear friend – the false ego, not knowing what to do or what not to do, very fearful for the future but somehow reading His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada’s book. One day, I read that a spiritual master is necessary for spiritual advancement. Then, I started praying for a spiritual master.

I distinctly remember the first time I saw your lecture on YouTube about relationships and spiritual culture. At that very first sight, something happened, and my heart said that you are my spiritual master. Immediately, I offered my humble obeisances to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna and prayed that I meet you. I cannot describe how grateful I am to Sadhu–sangananda Prabhu that he told me your name.

Before meeting with you personally, I watched your lectures, and your words always touched me. Whatever my questions might have been, your lectures provided the answer. By Krsna’s arrangement I participated in Vrndavana yatra. When I first saw you in Raval, your entry was like that of a hero. I am so frustrated with my material life. But, whenever I see you, I immediately become happy. Hearing your words gives me true happiness. I cannot and do not want to forget Your face. I feel it is an eternal relationship.

I cannot forget how you touched my shoulder at Prem Sarovar. I do not know where I got the strength to shamelessly ask you to become my spiritual master even though I do not have any qualifications. There was some noise in the background while we were speaking. You went to that person to ask them to stop to listen to my problem. I was contemplating who I am. I am the most sinful person and a rascal, but here you were, showering me with so much mercy! With your mercy, I met His Grace Satyavrata Prabhu. Initially, I was not able to understand Prabhu but slowly I understood that His Grace Satyavrata Prabhu loves you so much and faithfully follows you.

Maharaja, I do not want anything—your presence in my life is everything. I just want to follow you faithfully, like His Grace Satyavrata Prabhu and serve all devotees. The presence of His Grace Satyavrata Prabhu in my life is the most beautiful thing.

I could have discontinued my spiritual journey and taken false shelter if I had not met you. But Krsna is very merciful (bhakta-vatsala, as you always say). Whatever little bhakti I am able to practice is all because of your mercy. I am nothing without your mercy, and your presence gives me joy and happiness. Just as turning a kaleidoscope changes the whole picture in just an instance, similarly, your presence has changed my life. Your lectures are a complete science of devotion, filled with the solution to every problem that comes in devotional life. I love them. I want to follow you and your true representative and want to qualify myself so that I can understand your lectures more and more. I want to render service from the heart, carefully listen to your lectures, and properly receive them into my heart.

I know that I am not there yet, but I want to be there. As His Grace Satyavrata Prabhu tells us: our captain (Guru Maharaja) will surely guide us to cross the ocean. We just need to have faith. Thank you so much, Maharaja, for showering mercy. I have no qualifications, but I just want to follow you faithfully.

Please forgive me if I have committed any offenses.

Your aspiring servant,
Anant