Rama-kanta dasa
om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah
“I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.”
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate romapada-svamin iti namine
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Srila Romapada Swami, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.”
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Chaitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.”
mukam karoti vacalam pangum langhayate girim
yat-krpa tam aham vande sri gurum dina-taranam
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of the fallen souls. His mercy turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains.”
My dear eternal spiritual master and spiritual father,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of Your Divine lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace and Srila Prabhupada!
The time is moving swiftly and again the opportunity has arrived to write few words of heart-felt appreciation on the divine occasion of Your Divine Grace’s 75th Vyasa-puja celebration. I am starting this year’s Vyasa-puja offering by expressing my gratitude unto the lotus feet of Your Divine Grace. I am really grateful to Srila Prabhupada, Krsna, and the devotees for bringing Your Divine Grace’s presence in my life and making it meaningful somehow.
In India it rained a lot more than expected this year which over-flooded the rivers. Even Yamuna river was over-flooded with torrential rains which caused Vrndavana to be inundated with her waters. In such situations, boats which are not properly anchored with a strong foundation can easily get carried away in the heavy currents of water.
As I am moving on the spiritual path, I have a realization that I need more and more mercy, guidance and training from Your Divine Grace. As these are the only anchors for me to stay steady, determined and remain onshore in my Krsna consciousness and not get lost or carried away in heavy currents of gushing waters always ready to take me away from Krsna consciousness.
Thank you so much Maharaja for showering your divine mercy, by replying to my letters, answering my questions, giving your much needed guidance, love, care, benevolence, and blessings through letter exchanges. These letter exchanges are the life and soul of my spiritual life, my sustenance in the material quagmire.
I am trying to hear your recordings whenever time permits, as they are means to sustain my personal relationship with Your Divine Grace as there are very few opportunities to receive Your Divine Grace’s physical association.
cakhu-dan dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei
( Verse 3, Sri guru-vandana, by Srila Narottama dasa Thakura)
“He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth.”
By Krsna’s mercy, may I have the opportunity to have Your Divine Grace as my master and my Lord birth-after-birth. This does not mean that Your Divine Grace has to take birth again to become my master.
ebe jasa ghusuk tribhuvana
( Verse 4, Sri guru-vandana, by Srila Narottama dasa Thakura)
Your divine grace’s fame is spread all over the three worlds
It is very true that Your Divine Grace’s fame is spread not only in three worlds, but in the entirety of cosmic manifestation – both material and spiritual.
As years as passing by, please give your blessings that I may progress in my spiritual quest and take deeper and deeper shelter of Your Divine Grace’s lotus feet, teachings and guidance. Not commit offenses to the holy name, devotees, Deities, Your Divine Grace and disciplic succession. Offenses are considered mad elephant attack that can very quickly uproot the bhakti creeper.
I don’t know how I can pay back even a small farthing of what Your Divine Grace has given to me. Indeed, it is not possible at all to repay Your Divine Grace, so I am trying to remain ever indebted at your lotus feet and serve in a way that Your Divine Grace is pleased with my meager service.
“It is not possible for the disciple to repay the debt to the spiritual master. Therefore, the disciple remains eternally indebted to the spiritual master and continually works in such a way that the spiritual master may become pleased upon him for such sincere services rendered.” (Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Mantrini devi dasi– Paris 29 July 1976)
I am contemplating on how I can render pleasing service at your lotus feet, so that one day I can please Krsna and the disciplic succession by pleasing Your Divine Grace.
Last year, we had the opportunity to receive Your Divine Grace’s physical and personal association during Vrndavana yatra in the auspicious month of Kartika. We also got the opportunity to circumambulate Sri Govardhan during the yatra. It was really hard to keep up with Your Divine Grace’s swift transcendental pace until Your Divine Grace stopped for giving class.
At an advanced age, Your Divine Grace’s enthusiasm and swift pace is fueling my spiritual life, reinvigorating my Krsna consciousness. This gives me an indication that the spiritual master’s body is not material but spiritual, though it might appear externally to be material.
Aspiring for rendering devotional services at the dust of Your Divine Grace’s lotus feet which is anukulyena krsnanu-silanam.
As a big shady tree gives shelter, comfort and coolness in the hot scorching summers to one who has taken its shelter similarly Your Divine Grace is taking the heat of sun rays and giving a cool, sweet nectarean experience of Krsna consciousness and at the same time, saving us from the material upheavals.
I am begging for your forgiveness and pardon on the most auspicious day of your divine appearance for any offenses committed knowingly or unknowingly at your lotus feet.
Please engage me in some service at your lotus feet.
Your ever indebted and aspiring servant,
Rama-kanta dasa