Madhumangala dasa and Prema-rasa devi dasi and Hari Charan
om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate romapada-svamin iti namine
mukam karoti vacalam pangum langhayate girim
yat-krpa tam aham vande sri gurum dina-taranam
My dear and respected Guru Maharaja,
Hare Krsna. Please accept our humble obeisances unto the dust of your divine lotus feet, on the auspicious occasion of your divine appearance day. All glories to your divine grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
yavan nr-kaya-ratham atma-vasopakalpam
dhatte garistha-caranarcanaya nisatam
jnanasim acyuta-balo dadhad asta-satruh
svananda-tusta upasanta idam vijahyat
“As long as one has to accept a material body, with its different parts and paraphernalia, which are not fully under one’s control, one must have the lotus feet of his superiors, namely his spiritual master and the spiritual master’s predecessors. By their mercy, one can sharpen the sword of knowledge, and with the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s mercy one must then conquer the enemies mentioned above. In this way, the devotee should be able to merge into his own transcendental bliss, and then he may give up his body and resume his spiritual identity.” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.45]
In the purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains the importance of the words jnanasim acyuta-balah. To conquer the enemies such as attachment, greed, lamentation, illusion, fear, etc., that are symptoms of polluted consciousness of living entity due to coming in contact with passion and ignorance, one must be equipped with the sword of knowledge (jnanasim) given by Lord Krsna. However, to follow the transcendental instructions of Krsna, one must be equipped with the spiritual strength (acyuta-balah). Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport: “The spiritual master is certainly very merciful to his disciples, and consequently by satisfying him a devotee gets strength from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
On this auspicious day, we try to offer our words of gratitude for the unlimited ways you have touched our lives, through your mercy. We are overcome by the enemies of passion and ignorance and although you are providing us access to transcendental knowledge, we find ourselves very weak due to an uncontrolled mind. Although we are no fit candidates, you shower your causeless mercy on us through constant guidance, unwavering shelter, and transcendental instructions. Your presence in our lives is the proof of acyuta-balah for us.
Thank you very much!
Your aspiring servants,
Madhumangala dasa, Prema rasa devi dasi, and Hari Charan