Nisha Chatterjee

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale

srimate romapada-svamin iti namine

mukum karoti vacalam pangum langhayate girim
yat-krpa tam aham vande sri-gurum dina-taranam

My dearmost Guru Maharaja,

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

“It is said, phalena pariciyate: one is recognized by the result of his actions. In Vaisnava society there are many types of Vaisnavas. Some of them are called gosvamis, some are called svamis, some are prabhus, and some are prabhupada. One is not recognized, however, simply by such a name. A spiritual master is recognized as an actual guru when it is seen that he has changed the character of his disciples. Haridasa Thakura actually changed the character of the professional prostitute. People greatly appreciated this, and therefore they all offered obeisances to Haridasa Thakura and glorified him.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 3.143, purport)

Guru Maharaja, just as Haridasa Thakura changed the character of the prostitute, you have similarly transformed my character and the trajectory of my entire existence in this material world. You are continuing to melt a stone-like heart, and the person that somehow came into contact with you six years ago has been transformed. The translation to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 7.125 reads, “Using the example of a touchstone, which by its energy turns iron to gold and yet remains the same, we can understand that although the Supreme Personality of Godhead transforms His innumerable energies, He remains unchanged.” You are similarly like a cintamani stone, turning iron hearts to gold, and yet remaining the same – untinged by the desire for honor and completely transparent.

I understand that Krsna has given me these difficulties in the past few years so that I could take deeper shelter of you, my spiritual master. This is Krsna’s kindness! You often speak of the complete humility and complete confidence that Srila Prabhupada expressed in his poems when coming to America. By the agency of this recent turmoil, you have embedded in my heart the qualities of confidence in yourself and an understanding of my own smallness, because I understand that it is you who is pulling me out of this miserable existence, and it is you who is effecting these changes in my character. It could never happen by my own effort alone.

I asked you earlier this year what it means to serve the spiritual master from the heart, and not in name only. You responded that by continuing to ponder this question, the answer would come to me from my heart, not just theoretically or from my head. You also said that much of my realization of this subject would flow from my daily japa, to the degree to which I chant from the heart.

This is a very potent incentive to chant from the heart! The rest of my life may very well be spent trying to learn how to serve you, but I do understand that the answer lies in submission, from the heart, to your instructions. In his commentary on Bhagavad-gita 2.41, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has wrote of the spiritual master, “I desire only to follow his instructions. I accept nothing else as my life’s work, even in dreams.” I wish to one day imbibe this realization that you have imbibed regarding your own spiritual master: I wish to take your instructions and your desires as my sadhana and my sadhya. Your own dedication and attachment to Srila Prabhupada, especially without having had much physical interaction with him, is a prime example of the powerful association of vani and of the personalism inherent to Krsna consciousness. By the power of such sincere service to guru (guru-bhakti-bala), one can cross over the material ocean!

Thank you for the guidance of your disciples, His Grace Yamuna Jivana Prabhu and Her Grace Sri Radhika Mataji. Their mercy is an extension of your mercy. Because those relationships rest on the foundation of service to you and Krsna, by their association, my relationship with you strengthens, and by your association, my relationships with them strengthen. Srila Prabhupada famously told his disciples, “Your love for me will be shown by how much you cooperate,” and you likewise emphasize relationships as central to Krsna consciousness. In beginning to extend myself to others, I am learning the vital significance of loving relationships as a service to the central relationship – that with the spiritual master. These relationships are the heartbeat of Krsna consciousness.

Guru Maharaja, by your strength only can I receive the strength of such sincere service to you and Krsna. I pray that I can fully comprehend the effect you have had on my life, and I pray for the strength of heart to give full reception to this gift of Krsna consciousness that you are so freely giving.

Your aspiring servant,
Nisha