Vasundhara devi dasi

Dear Gurudeva,

This is the second birthday prayer I have written to you. Please accept my sincerest wishes: happy birthday and good health.

As I write this letter to you, I have your kind smile in my mind and your voice, full of wisdom, in my ears. It feels as if I am back in class, seeing you looking at everyone with loving eyes. Every Monday night and every Thursday morning, if I don’t hear your class, I feel as if I have missed something very precious. I still remember the first time I heard your lecture. My first feeling was: “This voice is truly the most perfect voice in the world—it touches my heart.” My second feeling was: “I can’t fully understand it.” But your voice is so magical that I was still attracted to keep listening, even to what I didn’t yet understand. And finally, at the beginning of this year, I began to understand a little and start asking questions. When you answered my questions, I listened carefully to every word you said and wrote them down in my notebook. These are your instructions to me. I savor them, and I try to follow them as best as I can.

I feel inspired every time I see you in such good health. Even with your busy schedule of daily lectures and travel, you remain so energetic in giving class and answering everyone’s questions. Your lotus mouth speaks only the words of scripture, the words of saints, and everything about Krsna which is purifying for the heart.

Dear Gurudeva, I still remember what you asked me when you initiated me: “Will you keep chanting even if you become ill?” I firmly answered, “Yes” and I have done the same. I am determined to continue my sadhana every day, because it is the oath of happiness that must be kept.

Dear Gurudeva, do you know? When I was very confused, I had a dream of you. You looked at me with love and stretched out your hand to pull me out of my predicament. In my dream, I knelt on the ground and said to you: “No, no, no! How can someone as fallen as me be qualified to touch you?” I was willing to crawl on the ground and become a brick or stone to pave the path where you walk. This is how I feel in my heart—and I have been trying to live by that feeling. You have always given me strength and kindness to make me more determined to practice and strive for pure love for Krsna. You also taught me to first pray for mercy and then try to act. Now I have learned to pray. I am savoring it. I pray for my students, my family, and my friends—to become devotees—and I pray to see you again soon.

On this auspicious day, I wish you a happy birthday, good health, and success in your missionary work. I offer my humble obeisances to you again and again.

Your disciple,
Vasundhara devi dasi