Daya devi dasi
Dear Guru Maharaja:
On the day of your auspicious appearance please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you!
On the occasion of your Vyasa-puja, as your foolish and degraded disciple I am deeply frightened because I am not very qualified, not knowing what service would please You. My existence is due to Your causeless mercy, O spiritual master what can I do to repay my eternal debt to You!
I was born as a lowly and ignorant human being, because of my karma I have suffered in this material world of lust. I have no talent or wealth, and am born in confusion. Nevertheless, when I sought refuge in You through the mercy of a devotee of Lord Krsna, you accepted my request without any hesitation. When I got the new spiritual identity of Daya devi dasi by your causeless mercy I knew life was no longer a cycle of despair and endless darkness.
My most precious and grateful benefactor, master, and beloved spiritual master, how can I repay you for the gift you have given me? Looking at the changes that have taken place in my life over the years as I have taken shelter at your lotus feet, my heart is filled with endless gratitude. I have gone from having a strong concept of physical life, pathological attachment, being arrogant and hostile due to ignorance, to being at peace with my body and mind, observing the norms and examining myself at all times. It is only because I understand that I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant.
A disciple does not know his own identity, yet does his best to please and serve the spiritual master. A qualified disciple must dovetail his own desires with those of the spiritual master, and endeavor to assist and serve the spiritual master. Once you praised Nandi-Mukhi Mataji for helping you organize information about Lord Siva, I felt this was the highest honor for a disciple and perfection of life. Nandi-Mukhi devi dasi is an example for me to follow. But what can I do for you when I am so ignorant? How can I please you? Only thing I can think is to practice hard to influence people around me to bring Krsna consciousness to them by my qualities, words and deeds, combined with the knowledge and methods of enlightenment that you have taught me!
Beloved spiritual master please accept my prostrations once again! Grateful for your unattached benevolent shelter! On the day of your Vyasa-puja, I sincerely pray to you to mercifully help me to remove the impurity and lust from my heart, so I can sincerely submit to your lotus feet and serve you! I hereby pray to Krsna for your good health!
Your humble servant,
Daya devi dasi