Anandambudhi dasa, Vrajesvari Pran devi dasi, Yashoda and Kirtida
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate romapada-svamin iti namine
My dear spiritual master and eternal father,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Gratitude is not a part of bhakti; gratitude is bhakti. We cannot repay you for what we have received. It is said in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 1.48:
naivopayanty apacitim kavayas tavesa
brahmayusapi krtam rddha-mudah smarantah
yo ’ntar bahis tanu-bhrtam asubham vidhunvann
acarya-caittya-vapusa sva-gatim vyanakti
“O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahma, for You appear in two features — externally as the acarya and internally as the Supersoul to deliver the embodied living being by directing us how to come to You”. [Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 1.48]
Your Holiness mentioned many times that by associating with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, your consciousness was elevated. In the same way, my consciousness gets uplifted just by hearing from you. I would like to express some instances of this on this auspicious day.
Seeing everyone in connection with Krsna. I heard from you that Vrndavana dhama is covered to material eyes. We need the spiritual master’s mercy to see the original dhama, because it is covered just like an oil layer covers pure water. Similarly, I am grossly covered by I (aham) and Mine (mama) in all my relationships (friends, family members, devotees etc.). Your vani is helping me to understand and see them in connection with Krsna, which is making all my relationships complete. As Kunti Maharani says:
sneha-pasam imaṁ chindhi drdhaṁ pandusu vrsnisu
“Please, therefore, sever my tie of affection for my kinsmen, the Pandavas and the Vrsnis.”
She is asking Krsna to cut her material relationship and strengthen her spiritual relationship with them.
My relationship with the Holy name. I have been meditating not to chant with an achiever mood, rather being in the service mood.
Service attitude: Understanding the Supreme Lord as the best well-wisher or bhakta-vatsala and that He is the Supreme father to all is easy to accept. But serving Him with love is very difficult for one who is conditioned like me. I was really inspired when I heard from His Grace Nityananda Pran Prabhu about Sumitra devi instructing Sriman Laksmana to serve Sri Sri Sita Rama during exile.
I have received everything needed to connect with the guru-parampara. I am in the process by your mercy. Please continue to keep this fallen soul eternally at your lotus feet.
Desiring to remain eternally at the dust of your divine lotus feet,
Vrajesvari Pran devi dasi, Anandambudhi dasa, Yashoda and Kirtida.