Gauracandra dasa, Sri Bhadra devi dasi, and Jahnava
Dear and respected Guru Maharaja,
Please accept our humble obeisances unto your divine lotus feet. All glories unto you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Vyasa-puja is a special occasion providing us an opportunity to express our gratitude to you! Gratitude is essential for progress in bhakti and to reach the highest goal of pure devotional service. Our hope is that this offering will help us cultivate genuine feelings of gratitude and help the seed of gratitude to grow.
In his song, udilo aruna puraba-bhage, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura asks us to drink the nectar of the pure holy name of Krsna. He adds further that there is nothing else to be had in the fourteen worlds. Many years ago, you had asked us to read and meditate on the first verse of Siksastaka when we perform our daily chanting. The glories of the holy name are limitless. The holy name has always been present, but we did not have full access to it till you mercifully gave us this gift. Srila Rupa Gosvami in Nectar of Instruction writes that the holy name is transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Being a pure devotee and naturally endowed with empathy, he sees our condition and recognizes that we will not have any taste for the name. He advises us to carefully chant the name daily. As we move in this path, we have come to realize that you have a very empathic nature. While you, yourself, fully appreciate the holy name, you also realize that we are very far from this position. The instruction to carefully chant daily is available but it is through the Festivals of the Holy Name you organize and give your personal association that we find the strength to continue chanting. The festivals have been organized in spite of the severe limitations that have come up in the last year. We are grateful for being able to participate in these retreats. By speaking about the holy name and providing us several practical tips on chanting you are helping us to say ‘YES’ to the holy name and to pure devotional service. Hearing from you helps us look deeper within ourselves and see what motivates our chanting. What we see is often unpleasant but your encouragement makes us enthusiastic to work on our shortcomings. We also take this opportunity to thank all the devotees who, understanding your desire, work tirelessly to make the retreat happen every year.
One of the greatness of our acaryas is their ability to perfectly recognize the strength and limitations of each person they meet and encourage them in a way that the person is able to grow on the spiritual path without feeling overwhelmed. Knowing our living situation and our limitations, you encouraged us to cultivate spiritual strength by carefully studying Srila Prabhupada’s books. It took us time to accept this advice and you waited patiently. When we expressed our limitations a few times, you encouraged us by very actively providing solutions. As we heard you, we realized that you genuinely live the teaching that – “no material impediment can block devotional service”. Reading Srila Prabhupada’s books has helped us appreciate the process of devotional service better. It helps see more clearly that behind the process is a person and it is by the mercy of the devotees that one progresses. We are more careful when we hear you speak and are learning to see how deeply you have absorbed the teachings of Srila Prabhupada! Thus, study of Srila Prabhupada’s books has helped us strengthen our relationship with you.
Our journey on this path has shown us that the presence of devotees in one’s life is essential to maintain enthusiasm and continuously realign ourselves towards the final goal. The past year brought up two aspects in our lives—proper understanding of relationships, and having a true picture of one’s position on the path of devotion. Your presence in our lives gave us an opportunity to learn and take association of Her Grace Krsna Lila Mataji. Mataji’s association and guidance is helping us see relationships in the correct manner. Her guidance is also teaching us how to evaluate our current reality, both internally and externally, in relation to the goal. She makes the application of teachings so much easier. Her guidance helps us accept our shortcomings and endeavor enthusiastically. This offering would be incomplete without expressing our gratitude for His Grace Jagadananda Prabhu, Her Grace Ananda Vrndavana Mataji, His Grace Nityananda Pran Prabhu, and Her Grace Hemangi Mataji. Our initial years in Krsna consciousness were shaped by His Grace Jagadananda Prabhu and Her Grace Ananda Vrndavana Mataji. They helped us stay fixed during difficult times and taught us how to take shelter of devotional service, especially through the process of hearing. His Grace Nityananda Pran Prabhu and Her Grace Hemangi Mataji are giving us their association in spite of their busy schedules. They freely share their experiences with us and guide us, thus helping us progress as a family. I (Gauracandra dasa) also take this opportunity to express my gratitude to His Grace Ramananda Prabhu who has given me an opportunity to participate in his bhakti-vrksa programs. He has given me a chance to share what I am hearing and learning from you and our acaryas. This helps me go deeper in the teachings and apply them in my life.
Srila Prabhupada says that a bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Access to the Holy name, access to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, and association of devotees are a few ways in which your kindness has manifested in our lives. Thank you very much for giving us an opportunity to open our hearts to you on this very special day and express our gratitude!
Your servants,
Gauracandra dasa, Sri Bhadra devi dasi, and Jahnava