The 81st Holy Appearance Day of our Beloved Spiritual Master

Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

9 September 2010
 Edited by
Mahashakti Dasi

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Eternal Wealth
Contents
A lecture by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja .................................................................................2

Offerings
Gunacuda Devi Dasi .............................................................................................................6
Janeswar Das .........................................................................................................................6
Kalavati Devi Dasi .................................................................................................................8
Krishna Kishor Das ...............................................................................................................9
Krishna Kund Devi Dasi ...................................................................................................10
Krishna Rati Dasi .................................................................................................................11
Madhavananda Das ............................................................................................................11
Mahashakti Dasi ..................................................................................................................12
Bhaktine Malati ...................................................................................................................13
Manisi Rani Devi Dasi .........................................................................................................13
Nandini Dasi .......................................................................................................................14
Nruhari Das ..............................................................................................................14
Purandar Acharya Das ........................................................................................................16
Puskaraksa Das ...................................................................................................................17
Sachinandan Das .................................................................................................................20
Sanjeev Das .........................................................................................................................21
Vrndavani Dasi ....................................................................................................................22
 Eternal Wealth
A lecture by Sri Srimad
Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
Çrémad Bhägavatam 7.9.23
16 August, 1989 - Bhubaneswar
dåñöä mayä divi vibho ‘khila-dhiñëya-pänäm
äyuù çriyo vibhava icchati yäï jano ‘yam
ye ‘smat pituù kupita-häsa-vijåmbhita-bhrü-
visphürjitena lulitäù sa tu te nirastaù
“My dear Lord, people in general want to be elevated to the
higher planetary systems for a long duration of life, opulence and
enjoyment, but I have seen all of these through the activities of my
father. When my father was angry and he laughed sarcastically at
the demigods, they were immediately vanquished simply by see-
ing the movements of his eyebrows. Yet my father, who was so
powerful, has now been vanquished by you within a moment.”

Within this material world, one should under-
stand by practical experience the value of material
opulence, longevity and influence. We have actual
experience that even on this planet there have been
many great politicians and military commanders
like Napoleon, Hitler, Shubhash Chandra Bose and
Gandhi, but as soon as their lives were finished,
their popularity, influence and everything else were
finished also. Prahlad Maharaja formerly gathered
the same experience by seeing the activities of Hi-
ranyakashipu, his great father. Therefore Prahlad
Maharaja did not give any importance to anything
in this material world. No one can maintain his
body or material achievements forever. A vaisnava
can understand that nothing within this material
world, not even that which is powerful, opulent
or influential, can endure. At any time such things
may be vanquished. And who can vanquish them?
The Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore
one should conclusively understand that no one is
greater than the Supreme Great. Since the Supreme
Great demands, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm
ekaà çaraëaà vraja [Bg.18.66], every intelligent
man must agree to this proposal. One must surrender
unto the Lord to be saved from the wheel of repeated
birth, death, old age and disease. (Translation and
purport by Srila Prabhupada)
P
rahlad Maharaja, offering his prayers, says
this to Lord Nrisimhadeva. Prahlad Maharaja
is one of the eminent mahäjanas. Those
who are saintly persons, dear devotees of the Lord,
they are mahäjanas. What they say, their statements
are to be accepted as conclusive statements, siddhänta.
Caitanya-caritämåta (madhya 25.56), states:
‘mahäjana’ yei kahe, sei ‘satya’ mäni
täte chaya darçana haite ‘tattva’ nähi jäni
There are many philosophers, they have many
philosophies. Gautama, Kanada, Jaimini, Charvaka,
Yajnavalkya, Ashtavakra, Patanjali. So many philoso-
phers are there and they have many philosophies but
their statements are not conclusive. They are mental
speculators. In other words, they only imagine things
and speculate, mana çila muni. They are called
‘muni’, speculators, they only speculate. And they
don’t come under a bonafide disciplic succession.
They never hear from bonafide äcäryas, vaisnavas,
who know the truth. In vaiñëava abhidhäna, the
vaiñëava dictionary it is said that these people are
açrota-pantiù. Açrota-pantiù means they don’t come
under çrotä-paramparya, the hearing process, the
disciplic succession that is formed by following the
hearing process, çrotä-paramparya, so they are
known as açrota-pantiù. They never hear, they only
speculate. All çästras, Vedic literatures, mahäjanas,
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 5
devotees, they say, an intelligent person should Lord himself has said that in Bhagavad-gétä.” There
not hear from them. One must hear from the real is no-one superior to me.” He is supremely power-
mahäjana, the devotees who come under the ful. He is the Supreme Person. He is supreme in all
disciplic succession, çrota-panthä. So in Caitanya- respects. That’s a fact. All Vedic literatures say so.
caritämåta (madhya 25.56) it is said: Prahlad Maharaja achieved. He also says so. Our
täte chaya darçana haite ‘tattva’ nähi jäni beloved Gurudeva, Sri Sriman A.C. Bhaktivedanta
’mahäjana’ yei kahe, sei ‘satya’ mäni Swami Prabhupadji Maharaja also says so in his
purport. He says, ”We have actual experience that
So whatever a mahäjana, bonafide devotee says,
even on this planet there have been many great
that is conclusive truth. One should listen to it. So
politicians and military commanders like Napoleon,
this statement, given by Sri Prahlad Maharaja, should
Hitler, Shubhash Chandra Bose and Gandhi. But as
be taken into consideration very seriously. One must
soon as their lives were finished, their popularity,
accept it seriously.
influence and everything else finished.” Where are
Here Prahlad Maharaja says that in this material
they? Where is their popularity, their influence?
world the conditioned souls, general people, they
Everything is gone. It was not eternal at all. That’s
want to be elevated to higher planetary systems. Why
a fact. But what is really eternal, that is what we
do they want so? This question: why do they want
should understand.
so? Because in the higher planetary systems there
What is really eternal? Krishna, the Supreme Lord is
is a long duration of life and a great deal of enjoy-
eternal. Anything related to him is also eternal. We also
ment, material enjoyment, a great deal of opulence.
know from mahäjanas like Prahlad Maharaja, from
All these things are there and they want to enjoy all
our beloved spiritual master, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
these things. Prahlad Maharaja says these things,”
Prabhupadji Maharaja, from Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
But I have seen all these through the activities of my
Goswami Maharaja, from Bhaktivinode Thakur, so many
father.” His great asuric, demoniac father Hiranyaka-
mahäjanas are there, from them we can understand how
shipu was very powerful. He had conquered three
their activities, their glories, their influence is eternal. By
planetary systems: upper planetary system, middle
material consideration or material calculation one may say
planetary system, and lower planetary system. He
they are no longer here, but their glory, their influence,
was so powerful. All the opulence, all the objects of
their statements, everything is here, because they are eter-
enjoyment in the three planetary systems were under
nal. They are very dear devotees of the Lord, mahäjanas.
his control. Again Sri Prahlad Maharaja says,“When
500 years ago when Sriman Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
my father was angry and he laughed sarcastically at
came, who is Krishna himself, he preached the glory of
the demigods, they were immediately vanquished
the mahäjanas, the devotees. Ramananda Raya was a
simply by seeing the movements of his eyebrows.
great devotee, a very, very dear devotee of Sri Chaitanya
He was so powerful.”
Mahaprabhu. Raya Ramananda is a great and eminent
Those demigods are residents of the higher plan-
mahäjana. Sriman Chaitanya Mahaprabhu discussed
etary systems, those who have a very long duration
with him these philosophies, rädhä-kåñëa-tattva, and
of life and who have much enjoyment, who are more
heard from him. Sriman Mahaprabhu asked many
elevated than ordinary persons here in this middle
questions to Raya Ramananda and Ramananda Raya
portion, material world, in this Martyapura, earthly
answered very conclusively because he is a mahäjana.
planet. Still, these demigods were immediately
They are very nice questions and important questions
vanquished simply by seeing the movements of his
also, perfect questions we may say. Once, when they
eyebrows. He was so powerful. But now what hap-
were discussing all these things, SrimanMahaprabhu
pened to him? That powerful person has now been
asked Raya Ramananda (Cc. madhya 8.246):
vanquished within a moment by the Supreme Lord
Nrisimhadeva. So who is great? Prahlad Maharaja ‘kérti-gaëa-madhye jévera kon baòa kérti?’
‘kåñëa-bhakta baliyä yäìhära haya khyäti’
says, ”Who is great? Only the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, he is great.” Mattaù parataraà nänyat This is one of the questions Lord Chaitanya
kiïcid asti dhanaïjaya (Bg. 7.7). That Supreme Mahaprabhu asked Ramananda Raya. ‘kérti-gaëa-
6 Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
madhye jévera kon baòa kérti?’ Which is the greatest
kérti, fame, glory?
Raya Ramananda answered: ‘kåñëa-bhakta baliyä
yäìhära haya khyäti’ “One who is known as a devotee
of Krishna, he is great. He is the most famous person.
This great demon Hiranyakashipu is not so fa-
mous, not at all famous. Where is his popularity?
Where is his fame? Still, we speak about him or hear
about him because he became famous having a great
devotee son, Prahlad Maharaja. Therefore he has be-
come famous. This is most important thing. Vaisnava
is always famous, eternally famous. If someone in
any way is connected to such a vaisnava, may even
be a demon, he becomes famous. Another question
is there. Raya Ramananda answered when Mahap-
rabhu asked (Cc. madhya 8.247):
‘sampattira madhye jévera kon sampatti gaëi?’
rädhä-kåñëe prema yäìra, sei baòa dhané’
It is another question, the perfect question and
perfect answer. ‘sampattira madhye jévera kon sam-
patti gaëi?’ Mahaprabhu asked this question: ”What
is the best property, opulence or asset of the living
entity?” Raya Ramananda answered: ‘rädhä-kåñëe
prema yäìra, sei baòa dhané’ ”He is the wealthi-
est person in this world, one who has acquired this
love to Radha and Krishna. He is the most wealthy
person, prema-dhané. And that dhana, that wealth
is eternal wealth. It is never vanquished. It is not
material wealth. It is transcendental, spiritual wealth.
So many nice questions and nice answers are
there. Another question Lord Chaitanya asked
and Raya Ramananda answered very nicely (Cc.
madhya 8.248):
‘duùkha-madhye kona duùkha haya gurutara?’
‘kåñëa-bhakta-viraha vinä duùkha nähi dekhi para’
Mahaprabhu asked: ‘duhkha kona‘duùkha-
madhye kona duùkha haya gurutara?’ “Of all
types of misery, sorrow, which is the greatest?” Raya
Ramananda answered: ‘kåñëa-bhakta-viraha vinä
duùkha nähi dekhi para’ - If someone becomes
separated from a great devotee of Lord Krishna, that
separation is the greatest misery. Such nice ques-
tions Mahaprabhu asked. Another nice question (Cc.
madhya 8.252):
‘käìhära smaraëa jéva karibe anukñaëa?’
‘kåñëa’-näma-guëa-lélä—pradhäna smaraëa’
Very nice question and very nice answer:
‘käìhära smaraëa jéva karibe anukñaëa?’ “To
whom should we always remember?” This is the
question. Ramananda Raya answered, ‘kåñëa’-
näma-guëa-lélä—pradhäna smaraëa’, “The name,
fame, qualities and pastimes of Krishna should
always be remembered.” Then Mahaprabhu asked
another question (Cc. madhya 8.249):
‘mukta-madhye kon jéva mukta kari’ mäni?’
‘kåñëa-prema yäìra, sei mukta-çiromaëi’
‘Mukta-madhye kon jéva mukta kari’ mäni?’
”There are many liberated souls, but who is really
liberated?” Raya Ramananda answered: ‘kåñëa-pre-
ma yäìra, sei mukta-çiromaëi, ”Who has acquired
kåñëa-prema, love of Krishna is the crest jewel of all
liberated souls, mukta-çiromaëi.” Very nice Then
Mahaprabhu asked (Cc. madhya 8.251):
‘çreyo-madhye kona çreyaù jévera haya sära?’
‘kåñëa-bhakta-saìga vinä çreyaù nähi ära’
Two words are there, preya and çreya. What
should one achieve? In English we say in that way,
but it is a specific word, çreya. In this material world,
as it has been said here in purport, many people
want to be elevated to the higher planetary systems
to get opulence, enjoyment, bodily beauty, material
education, janmaiçvarya-çruta-çré, so many things.
One may say these are çreyas. Mahaprabhu asked:
‘çreyo-madhye kona çreyaù jévera haya sära?’
Among all çreyas, which is the best çreya?” Raya
Ramananda answered: ‘kåñëa-bhakta-saìga vinä
çreyaù nähi ära’, the association with a great devo-
tee of Krishna is the greatest of all çreyas.” No other
çreya is there. No other çreya can be compared to
the association of a great kåñëa-bhakta. These are
eternal things, they never perish. Krishna is eternal.
Anything related Krishna is eternal.
Those who are akiïcana, deprived of all these
things, who have nothing in this material world
are the really wealthy persons because they see
Lord Krishna, and Krishna, who is çac-cid-änanda
puruña, is always with them. So these people get
nityänanda, eternal pleasure. But in this apparent
consideration or vision, worldly vision, one may
see that these people are very distressed, they have
nothing, but they have everything because they
have Krishna and they are very happy. They are
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 7
never distressed. We see it in the lives of the ñaò-
gosvämés, the Six Goswamis, Sanatan Goswami,
Rupa Goswami, Jiva Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta
Goswami, all these Goswamis. They had everything,
janmaiçvarya-çruta-çré. They were born in aristo-
cratic families. They had material opulence. They
were very learned, pandits, and their bodily features
were beautiful. They were not ugly looking but
very beautiful looking. But they kicked everything.
tyaktvä türëam tucchavat, bhütvä déna-gaëeçakau
karuëayä kaupéna-kanthäçritau — They kicked
all these things. ‘Get out!’ What is the value of all these
things? And they become déna, they become very poor.
They put on a kaupéna, they put kaëöhi-mälä around
the neck, kaupéna-kanthäçritau, and they lived under a
tree in Vrindavan. But were very wealthy persons, ‘kåñëa-
prema yäìra, sei dhané’. Raya Ramananda answered all
these things. They are eternally great, eternally wealthy,
eternally famous persons. Still now we chant their glories.
They are never finished. They were wealthy persons
because they have kåñëa-prema dhana. Kåñëe prema
yäìra, sei baòa dhané. They are eternally wealthy. That
wealth will never be exhausted. Eternally they are
getting pleasure. This is eternally there. Käla, eternal
time cannot destroy all these things. But everything
material is destroyed by time, käla. So Prahlad Ma-
haraja says these things. Therefore Krishna demands:
sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaraëaà
vraja, Just surrender unto me, unconditionally. I’ll
give you eternal enjoyment, eternal wealth, eternal
fame. You’ll be great. You will never be vanquished.”
So, why don’t you? (Gurudeva laughs.)
8 Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
Offerings
Offering from Gunacuda Devi Dasi
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
My dear kind Gurudeva, please accept my
humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All
glories to you and all previous äcäryas.
In the purport to Çrémad Bhägavatam 4.29.51,
Srila Prabhupada states:
“Success in life means accepting a spiritual mas-
ter who knows Krishna as the only supreme beloved
personality. One should worship such a confidential
devotee of the lord.”
On this day I pray to you that I may be blessed
with some realization of your greatness and start to
worship you properly.
In Çrémad Bhägavatam 5.17.11 purport, Srila
Prabhupada states:
“A guru must be a direct representative of Krishna
who distributes the instruction of Krishna without
any change. Thus only the most fortunate persons
come in contact with the guru.”
How great is my good fortune to have come in
contact with you? I am so useless that I could not
understand or take seriously your divine teachings,
nor could I receive your mercy. Such is my pathetic
condition - simply making a show of being your dis-
ciple. If I could obtain the dust of your lotus feet my
life will be successful, otherwise I am simply baffled.
”When a person realizes himself to be an eternal
servitor of Krishna, he loses interest in everything but
Krishna’s service. Always thinking of Krishna, devising
means by which to spread the holy name of Krishna,
he understands that his only business is to spread the
Krishna consciousness movement all over the world.
Such a person is to be recognized as an uttama-ad-
hikäré.” (Nectar of Instruction, Text 5, purport)
Your mission is the mission of Mahaprabhu, that
is, to spread Krishna consciousness all over the
world. Why then are you not recognized? Why are
your clear and powerful teachings not accepted?
It is so painful to see how the siddhänta has been
watered down and how compromises have been
made so that the teachings of our previous äcäryas
are practically unrecognizable. Gurudeva, please
manifest again to smash these illusions, especially
the illusion that resides in my heart.
Krishna, out of His immense compassion sent
you to this world to save the suffering jévas. As an
äcärya your only activities are in offering transcen-
dental loving services to Sri Sri Radha Gopal. You are
the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead, the
äçraya-vigraha. Please do not cast me away from
your service; you are all I have. Please help me to
remember this at every moment.
Gurudeva, there is no personality like you. You
are the crown jewel of all sädhus; so kind-hearted,
patient, and perfect in your dealings.  You are with
us when we go on Padayatra and the Hare Krishna
Utsav, each year. You are the real preacher; we are
simple repeating what we heard from you, for the
pleasure of Sri Guru and Gauranga. Please help me
now, in the Mayapur school, to use the opportunity
to share with others what I have heard from you.
Please keep me in the fire of your discipline, kick-
ing me until I become purified so as not to bring
you dishonour. I don’t want to remain a disciple in
name only. I have no intelligence, no words or any
capacity to glorify you. I can only cry at your feet and
pray that I may wholeheartedly serve you eternally
as my worshipable deity, my life and soul.
Your pitiful servant,
Gunacuda Devi Dasi
Offering from Janeswar Das
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
he guro jïäna-da déna-bandho
svänanda-dätaù karuëaika-sindho
våndävanäséna hitävatara
praséda rädhä-praëaya-pracära 
 Dearest Srila Gurudeva
 At the beginning of this my offering to Your Divine
Grace this year, I offer my daëòavats again and again
at Your Divine Lotus Feet. Even though I am such a
great fool, somehow I understand that my best interest
is served in prostrating my body, mind, my all at your
divine lotus feet. There is really nothing else I can do.
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 9
Guru Maharaja, somehow and most fortunately, by
grace, I know and understand that you are ñaò-guru,
the topmost of the Lord’s dear devotees, mercifully
appearing in this realm for the good of others.
 In fact you are so dear to Him that when the Lord
decided to make His appearance in this world at this
time for the compassionate uplifting of the fallen
souls (such as your useless servant Janeswar Dasa)
and to keep up the prestige of  Srila Prabhupada,
the äcäryas and their divine preaching mission, He
appeared as Your Divine Grace. To your disciples
therefore you are non-different from the Supreme
Lord Sri Sri Radha-Krishna (Gopaljiu).
 It was to serve your dearly beloved Divine Mas-
ter and Mistress that you came here as äcärya, to
preach the message of Mahaprabhu, joining Srila
Prabhupada’s mission and establishing the gauòéya
siddhänta clearly therein. And yet in this society,
perhaps inevitably (considering the absolute focus
of the mission’s devotees on the society’s Founder
Acharya) you appeared to many as simply an ordi-
nary ‘Indian’ devotee. Still the uniqueness of your
spiritual nature  couldn’t be totally covered, even
though many didn’t understand what they were
seeing in Your Divine Grace. Who did not recog-
nize your very distinct and completely natural way
of speaking kåñëa-kathä with such great relish and
also with complete knowing authority? Who didn’t
notice your unique and all-absorbing kértana? And
amongst those who were able to spend even just a
few moments in your direct personal association,
who could fail to feel your most amazing loving com-
passionate personality? Your pure nature certainly
shone through for all to see, though they often didn’t
understand what they were experiencing.
  Everything you said and did came from deep
inside your heart, from your true spiritual nature
and personality. (This natural uniqueness of yours
made some uncomfortable, and I recall one devotee
saying to you how ‘devotees’ thought you had a
different mood to Srila Prabhupada, at which point
I interrupted him saying how Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Prabhupada Maharaja was also different
from Srila Gour Kishore Dasa Babaji Maharaja. Guru
Maharaja, you were always totally natural. You had
no need to copy anyone.)
 And still, even for those devotees who were un-
able to appreciate you during your short presence in
this world, simply by hearing from you, simply even
by seeing you, Çré Caitanya Bhägavata explains,
they have accrued such great spiritual merit that
millions of their forefathers have become delivered
from material bondage. You are such a personality.
 On the other hand, for your greatly blessed dear
disciples and followers you have taken on a most
loving, kind and compassionate form. Whilst clearly
and uncompromisingly presenting the siddhänta
of Çrémad Bhägavata Puräëa and Sriman Mahap-
rabhu, still you dealt lovingly with each disciple
according to his or her individual needs and level of
advancement or surrender. You explained that your
desire for your disciples is that “in this very lifetime,
I want that you should get kåñëa-prema. And most
certainly, as you are fully empowered by the Lord,
you can freely award the wonderful gift of pure lov-
ing devotional service unto whomever you so wish.
 tomate se vaise çré-krsnera pürëa çakti
tumi se dibare para’ kåñëa-prema bhakti
 So once again Srila Gurudeva, allow me to offer
my prostrated obeisance at your two Divine Lotus
Feet. I pray, please Srila Gurudeva, keep me always
in this position, laying on the ground at Your Divine
Lotus Feet. I am a most useless and foolish rascal,
but I desire that I can render some little useful service
for your pleasure. Yet, I seem totally unable to due
to my sinful and offensive nature.
 I often think of my dear godbrothers and sisters,
and what they are doing for your pleasure. Every one
of them is absorbed in your service, in remembering
your teachings and beautiful pastimes.
  Some of these dedicated vaiñëavas are serv-
ing you in obvious and glorious ways, such as by
establishing your teaching of the pure siddhänta
throughout Srila Prabhupada’s society and be-
yond - by preaching publicly, and also by printing/
publishing and widely distributing your teachings,
and by nicely presenting your wonderful life and
pastimes. Others distribute your books, magazines,
CDs, DVDs to the wider audience. Still many oth-
ers are always preaching your glories directly and
also through their actions. Some of my god-brothers
and sisters are dedicatedly serving your mission by
managing, maintaining and serving in your projects
10
and temples, and others by undertaking glorious
building projects for your pleasure; for example
the temple at Berhampur, the Gundicha temple in
Bhubaneswar, and most importantly, at your divine
çrépat at Jagannathpur. Still many others, these most
wonderful devotees, are serving you in their every-
day lives by following your instructions closely, en-
gaged in their bhajan, and in their household lives,
thinking day and night of how they can please you
and serve your instructions.
 All of these disciples of yours are great vaiñëa-
vas and vaiñëavés and are very dear to you, and as
such are most worthy of my worship; all of them
are great souls.
 And yet, unfortunately, at the end of the descrip-
tion of the activities of your wonderful disciples
comes one who has so far failed to serve you in any
useful way. As you are well aware, this sad case is
me, the foolish Janeswar Dasa. But still I can say that
deep down, somewhere under the many layers of
ignorance that cover and infect me there is a desire,
inspired by my god-brothers and sisters, to somehow
become of some use to Your Divine Grace. When I
examine the situation, embarrassingly, it becomes
clear that amongst all of your disciples and followers
I am the one who will need the most attention from
you in order to become of any use at all, or to stand
any hope of becoming any kind of devotee. For this
I need to be kept always at Your Divine Lotus Feet.
This I can now understand.
 So on this wonderful day, Srila Gurudeva, all I
can do is appeal for your continued mercy on me.
saàsära-samudra haite uddhäraha more
ei ämi deha samarpiläìa tomäre
kåñëa-päda-padmera amåta-rasa päna
ämäre karäo tumi’—ei cähi däna”
“Please deliver me from the ocean of material ex-
istence. I surrender myself unto you. I beg that you
make me drink the nectar of Krishna’s lotus feet.”
(Cb. Ädi 17.55)
 Please don’t give up on me because you have the
power to deliver even the most useless and stupid
of souls, and at some point soon I hope that I will
be able to accept your mercy.
 Your lowly
Janeswar Dasa
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
Offering from Kalavati Devi Dasi
oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana çaläkayä
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré gurave namaù
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate muralikåñëa-svämin iti nämine
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
Dear Srila Gour Govinda Swami, Srila Gurudeva,
on this most auspicious occasion of your appearance
day, I am coming like a fool in front of you, Srila
Gurudeva, and in front of the vaiñëavas, hoping to
be able to somehow glorify your Divine Grace. Un-
fortunately I am not at all qualified to do so. Begging
for your mercy and the mercy of all the vaiñëavas,
let me try to speak some realizations about your
Divine Grace for my own purification and for the
pleasure of all the vaiñëavas.
You are a most rare personality, an exalted
premi-bhakta, an intimate associate of the Lord,
a paramahaàsa, ñaö-çiñya, and therefore you are
ñaò-guru. You are the external manifestation of
paramätmä; many devotees had this realization
during the Çrémad Bhägavatam classes you gave.
They were thinking you were speaking just to them,
addressing their personal problems and difficulties.
Only you knew their heart.
You are the most merciful manifestation and
compassionate incarnation of Lord Krishna, Sri-
guru, Lord Nityananda Prabhu. You are the savior of
the fallen souls, the mercy incarnation of the Lord,
kåñëa-kåpä-çré-mürti.
 One thing I heard about you, Srila Gurudeva,
which struck me with wonder, is that you always
prayed to Gopal to give you kåñëa-prema in order
to be able to distribute it to one and all. You are the
emblem of selflessness and of compassion. Your
heart bleeds at the sight of the suffering conditioned
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 11
souls. And also you kept a diary where you would Krishna? Will the day come when your Divine Grace
daily record all the services you had performed will be accepted and glorified for who you really are?
during the day, ending it by praying to Gopal. You Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura said that this
showed by example what it means to be a servant place is not a fit place for any gentleman or lady to live
and to always think of Krishna, your most beloved in. It is mäyä-jagat. No wonder everything is upside
iñöadeva, in a very personal and loving way. down - the imposter is glorified as a pure devotee and
Your disappearance pastime also showed by ex- the pure devotee is ignored and pushed aside without
ample what it means to be completely surrendered consideration. Alas! Alas!
to the Lord’s will. This is the chief symptom of a real Srila Gurudeva, I need your mercy, but I am so
sädhu-guru, 100% pure devotee of the Lord, and lazy and unfortunate, I cannot deserve it. Please help
you exhibited it in a grand way. me. Please force me. Please shake me and turn me
Despite all these exalted qualifications you con- into a fortunate soul. This is my only hope. Only
sidered yourself to be you can do it.
very low and fallen, a menial servant of your Srila Gour Govinda Swami Srila Gurudeva ki jaya!
revered spiritual master. You said you wanted to be Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
the tail, but Srila Prabhupada ordered you to be the Goura-premänande, Hari Haribol!
head. He instructed you to go all around the world
to preach. You wanted to teach tattva-vicära, the Your insignificant aspiring servant,
absolute consideration, not to be satisfied with the Kalavati Devi Dasi
apparent consideration, apära-vicära. You wanted
to show that Srila Prabhupada’s books are unfathom- Offering from Krishna Kishor Das
able oceans, wherein we have to dive deep to get
the jewels hidden there, not to be satisfied with the
fish available at the surface.
I am very much indebted to you because you
Glorification of My Gurudev
showered a little mercy on me despite my offensive
mentality. Like Lord Nityananda who didn’t take the
Generously gracious
grievious offense of Madhai so seriously, although
O my revered Gurudev
His head was badly injured, and who wanted to
Out and out a devotee of Sri Krishna
bless the miscreant with causeless mercy, being For His mercy you crave.
the embodiment of forgiveness and compassion, Unwavering in faith
you leniently forgave my most severe offenses and Adamantine in resolve
gave me the chance to understand your position Resolute in views
as a mahä-bhägavata, nitya-siddha on the same In kirtan you dissolve.
spiritual level as Srila Prabhupada, sent by Krishna Guileless in interaction
to continue his mission to spread Krishna conscious- Genuine in thought
ness all over the world. Observant of the doctrines
Your specific mission is to guide the practicing That Vaishnavism taught.
devotees from the platform of mixed bhakti to that of Virtuous in deportment
pure bhakti. The absolute necessity of surrendering Suave, cool and supple
fully to the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master had Imbued with divine love
to be stressed. For this reason you have been misun- Immersed in love’s ripples.
derstood by many immature aspiring devotees (like Non-contentious in discourse
myself) and heavily criticized; this is most unfortunate. On Hari Katha – the nectar
Will our ISKCON movement be freed once and for all Dispelling the doubts of devotees
from this great sin of blaspheming and finding fault Whom you so much care.
with you, the spotless, most confidential servant of Sympathetic and cordial
12
To the aspirants you meet
Writing on Sri Bhagavatam
To the readers you treat
Averse to worldly desires
Eager to spread Krishna Prem
Munificent to all who sing
“Hare Krishna Hare Ram.”
Incredible your mental strength
Although physically not sound
Impressive your appearance
With an aura surround.
Krishna Kishor Das, Ashok Nagar, Bhubaneswar
Offering from Krishna Kund Devi Dasi
Hare Krishna, dear Gurudev, please accept my
insignificant obeisances. All glories to your all-
encompassing mercy.
Any contact with a saintly person is an invalu-
able blessing. Gurudev, the celebration of your
transcendental appearance day is a real gift for me,
an opportunity to spend a little time contemplat-
ing more deeply on your unknowable, subtle and
sublime person. Time that - as superficial as my
attempts at the practice of bhakti are – I would not
otherwise take; illusioned by passion and ignorance
into thinking that there are more important things
I need to run and do day after day, year after year.
But what can be more important than deepening
my relationship with the source of my maintenance?
You are the source of my nourishment and very exis-
tence among those fortunate few who want to learn
to love Krishna; and leave this nasty place once and
for all. Thank you for reminding me, Gurudev, that to
receive the treasure you are offering it is not enough to
just hang around in Bhubaneswar. I have to dive deep
into the ratna-garbha of your instructions, collect them
and let them bear fruit in my heart. Intense hankering
is the price. As you often said, “those who cried, they
got.” Dhruva Maharaja cried. Like that five-year-old
boy, I also want to be determined. I also want to offer
you glorification, Gurudev, as Dhruva Maharaja glori-
fied Lord Narayan – but I need the conchshell of your
mercy. Otherwise, how can I say anything?
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
I would like to glorify you but I find that I do not
know you at all. I wish to recall your classes, bha-
jans, interactions with your disciples; your personal
instructions; your anger, your smiles; your chanting.
But how can I?
I deeply regret my lack of adhikära, the sins and
offences that prevented me from having your associa-
tion when you were physically present in this world.
Over the years, I understand more and more that it
was really simply my lack of qualification to associate
with a transcendental personality like you, Gurudev.
Just as Krishna comes in different forms to the jé-
vas; sädhus come in different forms, also. For me, as
an answer for just a hint of a sincere prayer amongst
my sufferings, you’ve come to me, Gurudev, through
your books; and through your son and disciple
whom you allowed me to marry. Thank you.
If not for your disciples and followers I probably
would not have heard you even though you tried to
speak to me, Gurudev. If not for your son, my guru-
pati, even today, I likely would not have the facility
and ability to hear from a disciple of Srila Bhaktisid-
dhanta Maharaja; or a strange-looking elderly Baba
in Puri dressed in rags. Gurudev, on my own, I
would miss my chance to hear wonderful hari-kathä
from such Vaishnavas just as I missed out on your
all-auspicious association because I simply do not
quite have the taste, vision and purity of heart yet.
I want to thank you for giving me faith and hope
when I had none. Thank you for coming for me even
though I was unqualified for your direct association.
And Gurudev, thank you, for giving me a precious,
personal instruction to just do my service.
vairägya-yug-bhakti-rasaà prayatnair
apäyayan mäm anabhépsum andhamkåp
ämbudhir yaù para-duùkha-duùkhé
sanätanas taà prabhum äçrayämi
(Viläpa-kusumäïjali 6)
As Raghunath Das Goswami expressed his
utter dependence on Srila Sanatan Goswami; I
was also unwilling to drink the nectar of devo-
tional service possessed of renunciation, but out
of your causeless mercy, you made me drink it,
even though I was otherwise unable to do so.
You are an ocean of mercy. You are very com-
passionate to f allen souls like me, and thus it is
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 13
my only hope to offer my respectful obeisances
and take shelter of your lotus feet, Gurudev. It
is my only hope to perform the service you gave
me at Gopal Jiu Publications; it is my connection
with you. Thank you for your causeless mercy;
for the reciprocations to my doubts and ques-
tions; for being active in my life.
Gurudev, I am ashamed to see that this “offer-
ing” to you contains so much “I, me and mine”.
Unfortunately, because I am lazy and misfortu-
nate, this is the only way I am able to see you right
now; through what you gave to me.
Sometimes I have a strong desire to see you; but
whether or not you’ll allow that, I have an even deeper
NEED, dear Gurudev. As presumptuous as this request
is, I am hoping that today when so many devotees who
are dear to you pray to you; it may be easier for my little
voice, also, to reach you: Gurudev, I need to KNOW you.
I need to know you in my heart. I need to recognize your
moods, your wishes; I need to know you, Gurudev, so
that I am able to understand how to act, speak and think
in a way pleasing to you minute by minute.
You accepted me, Gurudev. THANK YOU. Now,
please MAKE me into your servant who is able to un-
derstand and please his eternal master.
A backward student in your crying school,
aspiring däsé-anudäsé,
Krishna Kund Devi Dasi
Offering from Krishna Rati Dasi
Dear Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to your beautiful lotus feet!
Please forgive my wretched ignorance and have
mercy on me. Please help me know the truth. Please
let me live in the shade of your cooling and beautiful
feet. Please forgive me. Please let me near. Please
forgive my fears, please forgive my pride, and please
forgive my utter lack of service. I need you so much.
Yours,
Krishna Rati Dasi
Offering from Madhavananda Das
The Mission of Devotion
Srila Gurudeva was not a worshipper of the
masses. He was never concerned to obtain the votes
or approval of mundane people. He did not measure
the success of his service in terms of numbers of
followers or money accumulated. The gathering of
large groups of people is not the mission of devotion.
What is the mission? It may appear that a building
constructed out of bricks, sand, cement and steel,
complete with doors and windows, decorated with
pleasing colors and ornaments, equipped with beds,
chairs, tables and other furniture, and possessing
many books and journals is a mission. But actually
it is not so. That place where pure devotees dwell
and are engaged in guru-seva, näma-bhajan, and
hari-kathä under the guidance of Sri Guru is the
mission. Our Revered Master had no connection with
what the ignorant conceive of as the mission. The
real mission is beyond construction and destruction.
The Bhägavatam describes gurv-ätma-daivataù
— the guru is the most worshipable deity for the
sincere disciple and guru-devatätmä — the guru is
the very life of the disciple. Therefore an unalloyed
attitude of service to one’s guru and the predeces-
sor äcäryas is the soul of the mission. One who has
received the guru’s mercy will automatically find
good association. Such a disciple will always be
situated within the genuine mission of guru and not
the exterior facade.
Undergoing intense personal tribulations with
no concern for his own happiness or distress our
Divine Master spent gallons of spiritual blood for the
benefit of the suffering souls in this world. Following
the order of his guru he tirelessly traveled around
the world dissipating the darkness of ignorance
by delivering the sun-rays of çuddha hari-kathä
to anyone who had the great fortune to be able to
listen. Although possessing great transcendental
scholarship and charisma he did not speak for the
entertainment of the masses. He never compromised
siddhänta out of fear of displeasing the audience.
His bold obdurate adherence to the truth made him
14
a source of fear and the object of criticism of the
lightweight, sycophantic, pretenders. Ignoring the
barking of the village dogs he tolerated great injus-
tice and persecution and acted only for the pleasure
of his beloved guru. His selfless devotion can only
be compared to that of the cowherd damsels of Vraja
about whom it is described:
ätma-sukha-duùkhe gopéra nähika vicära
kåñëa-sukha-hetu ceñöä mano-vyavahära
kåñëa lägi’ ära saba kare parityäga
kåñëa-sukha-hetu kare çuddha anuräga
The gopés do not care for their own pleasures or pains.
All their physical and mental activities are directed
toward offering enjoyment to Lord Krishna. They re-
nounced everything for Krishna. They have pure at-
tachment to giving Krishna pleasure. - Cc. ädi 4.174-175
Similarly our Divine Master was never concerned
for his own pleasure, or pain, fame, or infamy, he was
simply interested in bringing pleasure to his beloved
Gurudeva Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
It will never be possible to understand the char-
acter or activities of our Guru Maharaja by mundane
intellect, talent or power of thinking. Regardless of
how much lip service they may offer; our Beloved
Master as well as all other divine personalities are
eternally a transcendental paradox to those who are
averse to the divinity.
On the supremely auspicious occasion of the appear-
ance day of our Divine Master I pray that I may become the
eternal servant of my Gurudeva. Guru means heavy. May I
never serve any weightless thing. Even if the whole world
is against me, may I never budge an inch from the service
and instructions given by my Divine Master. May I never fall
prey to the hellish mentality that somehow my Gurudeva’s
instructions were insufficient and therefore I need to reject
or amend them. O pure vaiñëavas, I am a great pretender,
only posing as a disciple and servant of guru. In truth I am
a wretched, fallen creature only deserving hatred. Kindly
bless me so that I may be able to feel the separation from
the lotus feet of my Divine Master with all of my heart every
minute, every second and every fraction of a second. As the
sincere servant of the servant of the servant of our Eternal
Master may I serve His Divine Grace by realizing, following,
obeying and never deviating from his order to do näma-
bhajana and preach.
A petty servant of Srila Gurudeva.
Madhavananda Das
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
Offering from Mahashakti Dasi
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
Srila Gurudeva, your infinite compassion and
causeless mercy rains on everyone equally, just as
the sun’s rays fall equally everywhere on the earth
without discrimination. You are the embodiment
of purity and goodness and came to us as our dear
Srila Gurudeva, more beautiful and attractive than
anything mäyä can present; brighter than many
moons and cooler than Nityananda Prabhu’s lotus
feet; Gurudeva your hari-kathä rattled our compla-
cency, causing our spiritually deaf ears to crackle
to life as we struggled to tune in to its higher fre-
quency, and our blind eyes strained to see through
mäyä’s haze. “This is not your home.” “This is not
your place.” “This is a nasty, dangerous place.” “This
place is temporary and full of misery.” “You are just
staying one night in an inn.” “Don’t get so comfort-
able here.” Sometimes the haze lifted. On occasions
you’d say, “Some call me a fanatic. Yes, I am a fa-
natic.” But you didn’t care for the mundane words
of the devotionally dry doubters. You had not put
down roots here. You knew well that mäyä could
never stand before Krishna. You were unbound, a
free spirit dancing softly on the earth to the sound
of Krishna’s sweet flute in Goloka Vrindavan. Yet
sometimes you’d reveal your lack of independence,
as a sweetly surrendered soul: “I am waiting for
the instruction of Mahaprabhu.” You gave us fair
warning when considering whether to stay or go!
You prayed and waited. Gopal and Mahaprabhu
heard you of course. To us, who are earthbound
conditioned souls, ignorant of the 4th dimension
of spiritual life, hearing this was something behond
extraordinary. Sometimes, to reinforce the magni-
tude of our lowly status you would say, “Where is
Krishna and where are we?” And so it is with you,
my Gurudeva, and lowly followers like me. (I cannot
bring myself to say disciple.) A disciple has guru-
niñöhä, kåñëa-niñöhä, or bhakti-niñöhä. I wonder
how many more lives it will take before I will be
able to look towards Krishna and never again turn
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 15
towards mäyä again in eagerness? “Freedom is pos-
sible only by understanding Krishna” - (Çvetäçvatara
Upaniñad 3.8). Even Lord Shiva says that liberation
can be achieved only by the mercy of Vishnu. Lord
Shiva states, mukti-pradätä sarveñäà viñëur eva
na saàçayaù: “There is no doubt that Vishnu is the
deliverer of liberation for everyone.” The key is
with Gurudeva. He has everything because he has
Krishna, therefore he is totally selfless, he wants
nothing from anyone; he has everything to give,
overflowing in the fullness of love. He is trustwor-
thy because he is totally secure in his identity and
relationship with Krishna; he is egoless because he
knows the truth; he is broad and therefore can unite
the whole world in him; he loves us unconditionally
because we also belong to Krishna so he will go to
any lengths to serve and help us be united in him,
simply for the love of Krishna. Purity is the inher-
ent quality of the soul. Having inhaled the rarified
air of his purity and heard the potent love of truth
emerging out of that purity, the seed of bhakti was
sown in my heart. When or how it will fructify rests
in developing a burning desire for it; my part is a
long way off complete.
There’s no rhyme or reason to this offering, only
a prayer to ask Gurudeva to bring me home, and for
that I need support to walk along the path of bhakti
with resolve, with growing attachment to the holy
name. I therefore pray for your merciful glance to
ignite näma-niñöhä and guru-niñöhä in my desert-
like heart.
Your fallen servant,
Mahashakti Dasi
Offering from Bhaktine Malati
oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana çaläkayä
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré gurave namaù
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
All glories to You, Srila Gurudeva.
Please accept my obeisances at Your divine lotus feet
which are my only shelter.
Gurudev, by Your mercy the impossible can be made
possible - you changed such a fallen soul as me; you
took me out from the deep dark well of material exis-
tence. I was suffering like a street dog and you saved
my life just at the last moment and brought me into the
association of a vaiñëavas.
Gurudev, from my childhood I had been praying to
the Lord, asking Him to give me His association and
the association of His dear devotees. I was inquiring,
“Who am I?” “What is the purpose of my life?” By Your
mercy, Srila Gurudeva, all my questions have been an-
swered, all my doubts completely destroyed. You have
given me this divine knowledge and opened my eyes.
Gurudev, You have such strong faith in Çrémad
Bhägavatam. You opened a crying school in Bhu-
baneswar. You want all of us to learn how to cry for
Krishna and have strong faith in Çrémad Bhägavatam.
Please Gurudev be merciful upon me. Let me be-
come a real devotee in this life. I don’t want to take
birth again and again, just spending my life uselessly.
Please Gurudev, let me always stay in the association
of real vaiñëavas as the humble servant of one and all.
Aspiring to become a vaiñëava,
Bhaktine Malati
Offering from Manisi Rani Devi Dasi
oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana çaläkayä
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré gurave namaù
Dear Gurudev, please accept my most humble
obeisances at your lotus feet.
As small children jump and raise their arms trying
to catch the moon, or like the plover who tried to
empty the vast ocean with her tiny beak, we pretend
to çuddha-näma, to prema-bhakti. We pretent to
render some service to Sri Sri Radha Krishna and to
understand Their love, then we want to enjoy that
rasa. But who are we but fallen souls? What can we
ever achieve in any field by our own efforts?
As we aspire to unattainable goals we forget that
you alone, Gurudev, can grant us the vision and
16
success in spiritual life. The only thing we should
ever desire and cry for is love for your lotus feet.
Guru-bhakti is without doubt the most precious
jewel we can ever cherish.
On this most auspicious day of your appearance
Gurudev I beg you, please bless me that I may one
day be able to serve you with love, and to please
you. Bless me that my heart will become a suitable
place for you to reside and that your merciful glance
will fall on me.
Allow me Gurudev to make proper use of the
great and causeless fortune I received to have you.
What is the use of a life without your presence?
Please help me to fully realize that you are all I have.
Your insignificant daughter,  gurudeva!
Manisi Rani Devi Dasi
Offering from Nandini Dasi
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
to go directly to the spiritual world, with him.
Really, practically he explained all the big and
small things in spiritual life. When I listen to
his class I get some understanding of my posi-
tion in this world and what a long way I have
to go until I can understand even a fraction of
this path. Very nicely he explained the role of
women in this society. I really love to listen to
his hari-katha, and I hope that one day, by his
blessings I can follow this nectarean path. He is
so merciful in sending me one of his disciples to
learn from by direct example how to become a
member of his sweet family. Please help me to
become a humble servant.
kåpä-bindu diyä, koro’ ei däse,
tåëäpekhä ati héna
sakala-sahane, bolo diyä koro
nija mäne spåhä-héna

akale sammän, korite çakati,

deho’ nätha! jathäjatha
tabe to’ gäibo, harinäma-sukhe,
aparädha ha ‘be hata
oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana çaläkayä
kabe heno kåpä, lobhiyä e jana,
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré gurave namaù
kåtärtha hoibe, nätha!
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çakti-buddhi-héna, ämi ati déna,
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine koro’ more ätma-sätha
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale jogyatä-vicäre, kichu nähi päi,
çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine tomära karuëä sära
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine karuëä nä hoile, käëòiyä käëòiyä,
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine präëa nä räkhibo ära
(Srila Bhaktivinoode Thakur)
våndäyai tulasé-devyai priyäyai keçavasya ca
kåñëa-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namaù Srila Gour Govinda Swamiji ki jay! Srila Prabhu-
väïchä-kalpatarubhyaç ca kåpä-sindhubhya eva ca pada ki jay! Sri
patitänäà pävenebhyo vaiñëavebhyo namo namaù Sri Gour Nitai ki jay!
Your servant of the servant,
bhaktyä vihénä aparädha-lakñaiù
Nandini Devi Dasi
kñiptäç ca kämädi-taraìga-madhye
kåpämayi tväm çaraëaà prapannä
vånde namas te caraëäravindam Offering from Nruhari Das
Please accept my offering of humble obeisances,
thousands and thousands of times, unto Your Divine
Grace Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja, on this very
auspicious day.
oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana çaläkayä
Even though I have never met him personally,
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré gurave namaù
in bodily form, I feel every time I hear his bhajans
and lectures he is still very much present. I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual mas-
He came to help us to become human beings, ter, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the
and to teach us to lead a spiritual life, and then darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 17
mükaà karoti väcälaà paìguà laìghayate girim
yat-kåpä tam ahaà vande çré-guruà déna-täraëam
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual
master, the deliverer of all fallen souls, whose mercy
turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables
the lame to cross mountains.
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
I offer my humble obeisances unto Sri Srimad
Gour Govinda Swami, who is very dear to Lord
Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
väïchä-kalpatarubhyaç ca kåpä-sindhubhya eva ca
patitänäà pävenebhyo vaiñëavebhyo namo namaù
I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the vai-
ñëava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire
trees that can fulfil the desires of everyone, and they
are full of compassion for the conditioned souls.
My dearest Guru Maharaja, falling flat in the sa-
cred dust of your lotus feet, I offer my most humble
and unlimited obeisances unto your Divine Grace,
on this most auspicious occasion of your appearance
in this mortal world.
My most revered and merciful Guru Maharaja, I
am here, in Sridham Mayapur, in this most exalted
assembly of vaiñëava, on this most auspicious day
of your appearance, just to admit my inability to
glorify your Divine Grace.
I am feeling so despondent that I have no quali-
fication to properly glorify your Divine Grace here
in Sridham Mayapur, where I first met you and last
saw you entering samädhi.
You are a Vaikuntha man, most intimate associate
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna,
and I am a worm in the stool; how can I conceive
of your transcendental glories and describe them? I
instead chose to make an offering of humble prayers
at your lotus feet.
Dearest Gurudeva, you know it very well how
wretched and degraded I am. I am indeed the great-
est rascal, number 1 idiot and fool. My most stupid
and uncontrolled mind never obeys me, never listens
to me at all. I am a total failure in trying to exercise
control over my wicked mind. I’m put to shame and
defeated every time. In this way I’m exactly like a
helpless drowning man in the middle of a vast ocean.
In a similar way, I’ve been helplessly drowning,
drowning in this ocean-like material existence since
time immemorial, being constantly battered by its
dreadful waves in the forms of lust, greed, anger,
envy, pride and illusion; with no hope of rescue
from anywhere or anyone.
Dearest Srila Gurudeva! Your most auspicious
and divine appearance in this dark world is like that
of an expert navigator with a strong boat coming to
a helpless drowning man in the middle of the ocean;
like Lord Krishna came to the helpless Draupadi; like
that of sweet cool water administered to a person
dying of thirst in the middle of the desert; like that
of the and her breast fed helpless baby; like that of
an expert doctor administers to a dying patient, and
like that of effulgent light appears to one groping
in the darkness, and perilously close to falling into
a deep ditch. After conscious deliberation I realize
you are the only hope for delivering me from this
pathetic condition. Once, dearest Guru Maharaja,
you gave me hope by assuring me that you had taken
a resolution to deliver me. But I’m such an ungrate-
ful wretch I have no seriousness or determination
to follow your instruction strictly, as it is. I instead
rely upon my wicked mind and act according to the
prompting of my wicked mind at every opportunity.
Therefore, Gurudeva, guru-karëadhära, please al-
ways catch hold of my ear and slap me. There is no
other way for me to give up dusaìga and to shun
the prompting of my wicked mind.
Dearest Gurudeva, you have accepted me as
your dog. A dog is still a dog; for a dog has constant
habits and a tendency to go off the path and sniff
unwanted things. But the master always restrains
the dog and pulls it back towards him. Similarly
Srila Gurudeva, I’m your dog; please don’t give up
upon me. Give me more chances. Go on slapping
me, inflicting severe discipline on me and pulling me
back towards your lotus feet. Why should I survive?
For what purpose should my life be maintained if I
cannot please your Divine Grace? How can my ig-
norance be dispelled? I’m completely forgetful of my
perfect, eternal, loving relationship with Supreme
Lord, nandänandana-kåñëa, kiçora-kåñëa, the son
of Nanda Maharaja, who is the only object of love for
everyone. Without loving Him life is meaningless.
Yet, He is inconceivably magnanimous, munificent
and merciful, especially when He appears as prema-
18 Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
puruñottama, Sachinandana Gaura Hari. He is even Offering from Purandar Acharya Das
more merciful as çré-guru, sädhu-vaiñëava.
yadyapi ämära guru caitanyera däsa
tathäpi jäniye ämi täìhära prakäça

“Although I know that my spiritual master is the

servitor of Sri Caitanya, I know Him also as a plenary
manifestation of the Lord.” (Cc. ädi 1.44)
Just out of boundless compassion for all the living enti-
ties, jévas, especially of this Kali-yuga, He has appeared in
this material world along with His abode, associates and
paraphernalia, to distribute freely and indiscriminately the
rarest treasure of Goloka Vrindavan; golokera prema-dhana,
hari-näma-saìkértana. Thus, through näma-saìkértana
He is offering prema-bhakti even to the lowest of men,
caëòälas, and making everyone surrender truly, fully and
unconditionally unto the Lord of the gopés.
Dearest Gurudeva, placing straw between my
teeth and clasping your lotus feet with my hands, I
earnestly beg for this only, nothing else.
käìdiyä käìdiyä bole ämi to’ adhama
çikhäye çaraëägati koro he uttama
I’m certainly the lowest of men! Oh Lord and Master
please make me the worthiest by teaching me the ways
of çaraëägati. My sole longing is to glorify your transcen-
dental qualities birth after birth in the association of loving
devotees. Please Srila Gurudeva, allow me always, life
after life to hear and sing the transcendental glories of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees,
in the association of pure vaiñëava-sädhus.
Lastly, dearest Srila Gurudeva, I beg you, with all
humility on this most magnanimous day to forgive
all my nonsense and offenses I have repeatedly
committed at your lotus feet. Please shower your
causeless mercy upon this ignorant fool and enable
me to chant pure näma. In this way your name as
patita-pävana will be sung in glorification bearing
its true meaning, throughout the three worlds.
Jay Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
vaiñëava çiromaëi ki jay!
Patita-pävana Srila Gurudeva ki jay!
Çré-vyäsapüjä mahotsava ki jay!
samavetä-bhakta-våndä ki jaya!
Gaura premänande! Hari Haribol!
Your most fallen son
Nruhari Das
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
väïchä-kalpatarubhyaç ca kåpä-sindhubhya eva ca
patitänäà pävenebhyo vaiñëavebhyo namo namaù
I offer thousands and thousands of praëaàs unto
my guru-päda-padma. He is my everything. Vaiñëava-
äcärya Sanatan Das wrote, guru mätä guru pitä guru
hana pati, guru vinä e-saàsäre nähi ära gati - “Gu-
rudev is my father, Gurudev is my mother, Gurudev is
my master. Without him we have no other way to cross
over this Mayik world.
Today is a very, very auspicious day, Gurudev’s
81 appearance day so we all offer our prayers unto
st
him. This is our sevä as his sons and daughters. Vai-
ñëavera guëa gäna, korile jévera träëa, if we glorify
guru-vaiñëava then we will be delivered from this
material world. Today is the day to glorify our guru-
päda-padma. But I don’t know where to start.
I joined Bhubaneswar temple in 1992 and Gurudev
left this world in 1996. That means only 4 years I stayed
with him. During those 4 years I saw Gurudev perfom
many sweet pastimes, and for me to write about them
will fill many pages. But by Gurudev’s mercy I will try
to glorify a few of them. In my experience I saw him
perform the sweetest pastimes on Padayatra. We used
to do Padayatra during winter. One year we arranged
that Padayatra go for two and a half months. That year
the winter was very cold, still Gurudev stayed with us
the whole time. Every day we walked more then 20
kms but we never felt the tiredness because Gurudev
empowered us. We would just wait for the evening
program when we would see Gurudev’s lotus face and
hear hari-kathä from his lotus mouth; that gave us a
lot of strength for the long walk the next day.
Gurudev is gaura-nija-jana (the personal family mem-
ber of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu), so he came to this
world to preach Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s mission. He
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 19
always glorified Sachinandan Gaurhari. He showed us
how we should preach Sriman Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s
väëé. I saw often when he was with us how he would
stay in the village guest house, often without electricity,
and without running water sometimes, still Gurudev
very happily stayed with us. One time we were staying
in a village in the forest where it was very difficult even
for our bullock-cart to move. Anyhow we went there,
and Adwaita Acharya prabhu called Gurudev to tell
him, “Please don’t come to the evening program tonight
because the road is very bad, especially from your guest
house to this village, the drive will be very difficult. It is
a small village without electricity so we don’t think any
people will come to hear hari-kathä tonight.” But I saw,
by evening Gurudev had arrived. He chastised Adwaita
prabhu, “I don’t care about the bad road or if no people
will come to hear my hari-kathä, this is my duty. I will
give hari-kathä.” Then he spoke sooooo beautifully
kåñëa-kathä; all the village people came carrying lamps.
This was his mercy to the world.
One day a very big thing happened on our Padayatra.
I’m sorry I don’t remember the name of the village, but
it was when Gurudev moved to another guest house.
Ananta prabhu was driving, it was during the daytime,
and for some reason they parked on the side of the
road and sat inside the car. Gurudev said to Ananta
prabhu, “Hey, look, one truck is coming on the wrong
side. I think something is wrong with that driver.” But
Ananta prabhu said, “But Gurudev we are parked on
the side of the road so it all right, don’t worry.” Imme-
diately that truck hit the car and kept going. But Ananta
prabhu just felt a little movement, nothing else. Then
Gurudev said, “Mahaprabhu protected us because we
are preaching his holy name. Go and look outside and
see what happened.” When Ananta prabhu tried to get
out the door wouldn’t open. Somehow he managed to
get out but he was surprised, one side of the car just
came away and fell 100 feet away and he looked for it
down the hill but it was not there, it was far away from
the car. He was surprised at how this big accident was
possible and he just felt a little movement inside the
car. It was all Gurudev’s power. Ahhh, when I think
of these pastimes I want to write more and more but
I have to stay within my limit of writing.
This last pastime I want to write about is not about
his appearance day. It is the day he left, when he told us
to chant, then when we were chanting he called his Lord,
“Radha Gopal, Radha Gopal” two times, then entered
in the Golok Vrindavan pastime. That is my whole life’s
meditation in my bhajan. I just pray to my Gurudev on
this auspicious day, please, please Gurudev, take me
where you are now. I don’t want to go any place if you
are not there. Jay patita-pävana äcärya çiromaëi çré
çréman çréla goura govinda gosvämé gurudeva ki jay!
Your very fallen servant,
Purandar Acharya Das
Offering From Puskaraksa Das
Dear Guru Maharaja
Please, accept my humble obeisances at your
lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to you, our beloved Guru Maharaja,
embodiment of çré-guru.
All glories to Sri-Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar.
It is indeed my great good fortune to have been
blessed with your loving association in this lifetime,
which also means the association of a ñaò-guru, a pure
sädhu-vaiñëava.
When in 1985, in front of the Louvre, while I was
showing you around Paris as you had wished, the
places where Srila Prabhupada had personally come, I
inquired about the reason as to why I was so privileged
to have your holy association, you kindly answered that
this was due to my past lives. In that way you confirmed
my intuition of an on-going spiritual process which
was certainly crowned by this great good fortune of
meeting you, or as it may be, of meeting you again?
When a few months later in Bhubaneswar, after you
had magnanimously accepted me as a disciple, on
Ramnavami 1986, in Orissa, while I was expressing
the sorrow of Yamuna Devi Dasi and I having to go
back to France and leave your divine association, you
solemnly told me, “This is an eternal loving relationship
It is not dependent on time and space Think about this
very deeply, Puskaraksa!”
Of course, these very words have sustained me
throughout the years and enabled me to survive the
pangs of separation. They have become my very life
and soul and I live only with the aspiration for our
eternal association.
20
A few years later, in the Barcelona temple in
Spain, while I was so privileged again to have your
intimate association, I again ventured into raising
the topic of our meeting in my next birth (janme
janme prabhu sei), which you confirmed both to
my (half) surprise and to my great joy.
Definitely, you are patita-pävana and you are ready
to come back to deliver your disciples from saàsära
and it is our great good fortune to envision having your
darshan again in our next birth.
As a matter of fact, you have already magnani-
mously made arrangements to come back, as you
did in the first place, when you voluntarily came
down from the spiritual world to this material
world in the service of your eternal master Srila
Prabhupada and most intimate associate in the
spiritual world, where you are both eternally en-
gaged in your maìjäri nitya-sevä and lélä.
In New Mayapur, France, you challenged me when
I voiced doubts at the possibility of my becoming a
nitya-siddha in this lifetime. “This is what you think,
according to your own material calculations!” To
Guru and Krishna, everything is possible. mükaà
karoti väcälaà paìguà laìghayate girimyat-kåpä
tam ahaà vande çré-guruà déna-täraëam - even a
lame man can climb mountains and a dumb man can
utter poetry, then hopefully a conditioned soul, at-
tached to sense gratification’ may become free from
saàsära provided one doesn’t leave the shelter of
his beloved savior!
Guru is great. His mission is to liberate patitas like
this fallen servant of yours, and his potency is such that
he can turn bell metal into gold!
Yamuna Devi Dasi passed away on papa-mocani
ekädaçi in 1992, after having had the darçana
of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada throughout her
year and a half long disease, after having had the
vision of the spiritual world. “See, she had a vi-
sion of where she was going,” you commented.
And you described, “After having displayed all
the symptoms of pure devotion, the chanting of
the mahä-mantra filled her mind 24 hours a day,
even while sleeping. You see, this is samädhi.”
A couple days before she passed away she wished
to know what was her relationship with Krishna in
the spiritual world. You answered me, “She is a gopé-
maìjäri, maid servant of Srimati Radharani.”
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
When she left, with the names of Radha and Krishna
on her lips, you said she had gone straight back to the
spiritual world, and you rejoiced that your guruship
had become successful as one of your disciples had
gone back to Godhead.
So, when I came to India afterwards, for the purpose
of dispersing the ashes of her body in 3 holy places
(Puri, Mayapur and Vrindavan), as you had instructed
me, you told me a couple times in Bhubaneswar at that
time, “she will take you back!”, which both struck me
and puzzled me at the same time. I knew Yamuna was
both very merciful and might have felt grateful for my
sevä to her as well as for my having been instrumen-
tal in introducing her to you, by the arrangement of
Krishna, but yet, to envision her taking me back was
still beyond my imagination.
So, time went by, and later on as I had been so
fortunate as to have been engaged in cooking for
you, while you were touring Europe one summer,
after you had found the cooking of some local Ital-
ian devotee unsuitable for you and had mercifully
sanctioned, “I like Puskaraksa’s cooking” after my
having taken over the sevä without being quite sure
I could fill up the position with success, I was on my
knees by you in your room in a temple in Germany.
Then, you looked at me and told me “You will take
birth in India in your next birth and that will be
your last birth! Yamuna will come down from the
spiritual world to assist you You will have a very
simple relationship with her. This is why I told you
she will take you back!”
While I was stunned I marveled at the revelation,
still I foolishly dared ask where I would take birth in
India (to find out whether it would be in Orissa or
elsewhere), but you dismissed me, stating that that was
all I needed to know for the time being!
Of course, this is a very confidential statement which
I have not revealed to hardly anybody so far, keeping
it secret, so as not to get some unnecessary fame and
therefore feed the vanity and the anarthas of the still
conditioned soul that I am, as well as not to venture
to take the risk of prompting some superfluous envy.
So, if this year I feel prompted from within and
not stopped from revealing some of the confidential
exchanges between çré-guru and a fallen jéva, an in-
significant disciple like this menial servant of yours, it
is for two main reasons:
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 21
• The first one is to give hope and faith to everyone
in the capability of our Guru Maharaja of liberating
every sincere servant of his, be he or she very fallen,
as you will not find a more fallen soul than me.
• The second reason, underlying the first one, is that
my heart is crying when I know of so many of our god-
brothers and god-sisters who have left the shelter of the
lotus feet of our Gurudeva to embrace the promises of
whoever may advertise “pure bhakti”!
In that respect, I remember our Gurudeva in 1985
telling Yamuna and I, as we were having his darçana
in the temple building still under construction at the
time, he being a sannyäsé vaiñëava, holding his bead
bag in his hands:
“I came because I heard Krishna is dina-bandhu, the
friend of the fallen. So, naturally, I came. But now I hear
that He is bhakta-vatsala, that He enjoys the company
of His devotees, so I am aggrieved. I cry because I am
not a devotee. I have no devotion.”
This vibrant humility genuinely expressed by our
Guru Maharaja gave us a glimpse into the mood of
the uttama-adhikäré, exemplifying the famous verse,
tåëäd api sunécena taror api sahiñëunä.
To t h e c o n t r a r y , o f f e n s i v e s t a t e m e n t s r e-
peatedly uttered and recorded, attempting to
minimize the position of Srila Prabhupada, of
our beloved Guru Maharaja and of the ISKCON
movement founded by Srila Prabhupada, mixed
with self promotion, not only are tinged with
pratiñöhä which can never exist in the presence
of pure devotion, but also represent a threat to
the welfare and future salvation of Gurudeva’s
children and Srila Prabhupada’s children and
grand children, which I am worried about and
which prompts me to reveal some of Srila Gu-
rudeva’s mercy towards such a fallen soul, which
should give them all the hope that if I got some
mercy, then, it is the proof and evidence that
everyone can get it.
This is also why we should stick to çré-guru’s
instruction, and in this matter to Srila Prabhupada’s
instruction in regards to not associating with his
god-brothers and thereby with his god-brothers
disciples, as we could only be diverted from the
shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet.
As a matter of fact, those who have disregarded
the shelter of our previous äcäryas, end up now
being engaged in some other kind of movement,
outwardly advertising itself as “pure bhakti-yoga”
and challenging to compete with Srila Prabhu-
pada’s movement, while having diverted some of
Srila Prabhupada’s children and grand children
from the house of their father and grand father,
meant to host the whole world but them, accord-
ing to their present foolish estimation.
In this respect, we may just reflect upon our Guru
Maharaja’s fidelity to ISKCON, till his last breath in
ISKCON Candrodaya Mandir in Mayapura, despite all
odds and troubles and the adverse attitude of some
conditioned souls within our movement, partly due
to the lack of discretion of some externally over-
enthusiastic disciples.
However, we know our Guru Maharaja had some friend-
ship with some sädhus and advanced vaiñëavas which is
quite natural, but still he maintained strict fidelity and adher-
ence to ISKCON Founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada and
to his movement, which is meant to last and liberate many
generations during thousands of years to come.
Of course, there would be much more to say, but
not everything is to be said and revealed, neither
has everything been said and revealed yet. I as-
sume here is enough food for thought and reflection
upon the greatness and incommensurable power
of tri-kälajìa, Srila Gurudeva. Kindly stick to him,
hold on tightly to his lotus feet, invite him to be the
Lord of your heart, and you will witness miracles
and how he will guide you in every minute detail
of your everyday life, so as to drag you out of this
saàsära, coaxing you to accept, to reach out beyond
your own conditioned nature, and gradually become
eligible some day to perform the sevä he, along with
Srila Prabhupada and their whole hierarchy in the
spiritual world have envisioned for you to perform
in the service of the lotus feet of the divine couple,
be here on Martyaloka and in Goloka Vrindavana.
All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Gour Govinda Swami
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Srila Prabhupada
All glories to our sacred paramparä.
All glories to your sevä unto their lotus feet
Your menial servant in the service of çré-guru,
Puskaraksa Das
22
Offering from Sachinandan Dasa
jaya oà nilacala niväsäya nityäya paramätmane
balabhadra subhadräbhyäm jagannäthäyäte namaù
oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana çaläkayä
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré gurave namaù
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrémate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
O my dearest among the dear, prime worshipable
Srila Gour Govind Swami nitya ñaò-gurudeva, kindly
receive my heartfelt, most humbly prostrated daëòa-
vat-praëäma, accepting me as a speck at the holy dust
of Your Divine Lotus Feet.
mükaà karoti väcälaà paìguà laìghayate girim
yat-kåpä tam ahaà vande çré-guruà déna-täraëam
When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Sri Ramananda
Raya, “Out of all glorious activities, which is the most
glorious?” Sri Ramananda Raya replied, “That person
who is reputed to be a devotee of the Supreme Lord
Krishna enjoys the utmost fame and glory.” Thus Your
Divine Grace, being a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord
Krishna is eternally famous, and our attempt to glorify
Your Divine Grace during this auspicious occasion of
your sacred vyäsa-püjä is merely an offering like that of
offering a handful of Ganga water to Mother Ganga, or
of offering a small ghee-lamp at midday to the sun god.
Over the stretch of time, from the first meeting with
Your Divine Grace in the year 1975, this otherwise
very feeble, useless person, so-called eternal servant
of Yours, by the causeless mercy of Your Divine Grace,
has been energized and empowered to initiate a few
services, such as spiritual congregation discourses here
and there, the grand successful execution of Sriman
Mahaprabhu’s 500th appearance anniversary in the
year 1986, and the famous Hare Krishna Mahotsav, on
the extremely auspicious occasion of the centennial
celebration of Srila Prabhupada, in the year 1996, and
further in that context, the Sri Jagannath forestation
project, the renovation and beautification of Sri Sri
Alarnath Temple etc., as  part of our humble homage
to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Thus when we
were over-enthusiastically and tirelessly engaged in
executing the well-conceived and overly-encouraged
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
Sri Jayadev-Bhaktivedanta Vedic University Project,
Your Divine Grace had asked this unworthy so-called
servant to put an end to the university project as per
the conveyed wish of Your beloved Lord Gopal, say-
ing, “Sachinandan, what you are trying to do with
noble desire and simplicity of heart, would eventually
become a center for power struggle, and the creeper
of devotion, which is the true and ultimate goal of this
rarely achieved human birth, would be lost. . . “ And,
you predicted, “. . . don’t be disheartened Sachinandan,
an inconceivable and supremely merciful lélä-bhümi of
Sriman Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will come your way for
you to render service.” Srila Gurudev, this prediction,
which in fact was manifested by the means of Sadhu
Srila Haridas Sen Babaji Maharaj, by way of reveal-
ing this unparallelled and immeasurable, supremely
hidden lélä-bhümi of prema-puruñottama Sriman
Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu,
to this otherwise eternal, yet worst-among-the-worst
servants of Your Divine Grace.
Among others, the chief contributors to this great cause,
a few names of whom are worthy to be mentioned here,
is Your dear godbrother, Srila Sivaram Swami, (from
early 1998 to the end of the year 2000) and your other
beloved son, and my heartiest and dear godbrother, Sri-
pad Jagadish Pandit Prabhu, (who despite his ill health)
is, in true sense, an integral part of this great dham-based
ashram project, has been struggling tirelessly, shoulder
to shoulder, to the best of his ability. And similar is the
contribution of some very innocent yet committed shel-
tered souls, who have taken shelter along the line of His
Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and Your Divine Grace
in our great paramparä.
In the far back days of 1996, it was once conveyed
by Sadhu Srila Haridas Sen Babaji Maharaja (who had
perhaps never met Your Divine Grace and neither this
servant) that he was brought to this servant as per the
great wish of his beloved Deities, Sri Sri Radha Vinodbi-
hari at Mahanga, as well as per the sacred wish of both
His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and especially Your
Divine Grace. This created emotion in us as it coincided
exactly as per the above-referred-to earlier prediction
of Your Divine Grace, and since then, despite endless
obstacles in our way, for the pleasure of the Supreme
Lord Krishna, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and
Your Divine Grace, by all of your causeless mercy,
this degraded, most unworthy servant has struggled
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010 23
throughout, having spent gallons of sweat, tears, and enabling us to practice pure rädhänugäta kåñëa-prema-
blood to spread the glories of Your Divine Grace and bhakti in this rarely achieved human form of life, so as
His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupadji Maharaja for the to attain the supreme goal, kåñëa-prema.
revelation and glorification of this unique, eternal lélä-
bhümi of Their Supreme Lordships, Sriman Gauranga jaya oà viñëupäda paramahaàsa parivräjakäcärya
Mahaprabhu and Lord Sriman Nityananda Prabhu. añöottara-çata Sri Srimad Gour Govind Swami Srila
Once this servant over-emotionally wished to become Gurudev, ki jaya
a so-called medium in singing the song of the glories Srila Gurudev’s 81st auspicious appearance mahot-
of Sri Sri Guru and Krishna based upon this sacred sav, ki jaya
dham-based ashram project, and thus, in this way, quite Srila Gurudev’s 26th vyäsa-püjä mahotsava, ki jaya
a few dedicated souls have taken shelter in the line of Çré guru-päda-padma, ki jaya
paramparä of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and Eternally sheltered, most unworthy so-called servant,     
Your Divine Grace. Kindly accept them as specks in Sachinandan Dasa
the holy dust of Your Divine Lotus Feet and shower
your causeless mercy upon them so as to enable them Offering from Sanjeev Das
to successfully overcome various material obstacles
caused by the strong force of mäyä. Kindly empower
them to push forward, taking ahead the holy mission
of Sriman Gauranga Mahaprabhu, and preach the
glories of this inconceivably supreme Dandabhanga oà ajñäna-timirändhasya jñänäñjana çaläkayä
lélä-bhümi, so that this center become a truly ideal cakñur unmilitaà yena tasmai çri gurave namaù
place to practice pure devotion, and inspire devotees nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
from all over the world towards the supreme goal of çrimate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
this rarely obtainable human form of life (krñëa-prema-
Srila Gurudeva, you are an ocean of mercy coming
bhakti) for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord Krishna,
from the spiritual sky just to shower your causeless
Srila Prabhupada and Your Divine Grace.
mercy on all the unfortunate jivas of Kali-yuga, to
Most revered Srila Gurudev, after all the struggle in
give them the higher taste of kåñëa-prema. Although
life, this otherwise unqualified so-called servant is at
free from all the actions and reactions of this material
present feeling completely exhausted, and thus, taking
world of karma, you lead a life showing the last limit of
into consideration the varëäçrama-dharma founded
humility and tolerance and ñhowed how the jiva should
by the Vedic principle, under the present situation in
work and make endeavour to get kåñëa-prema. Being
the age of Kali and the serious and ever deteriorating
the äcärya you taught practically how to live that life.
health problem of this self, this servant is now seriously
Hearing of your nara-lilä itself, is sufficient to give
considering withdrawing from family life and active
sincere souls a chance to develop kåñëa-prema, what
management of the Dandabhanga Ashram, as well as
to speak of hearing hari-kathä from you. Foolish are
to devote time solely in concentration and practice of
those who think your business in this material world
personal bhajan, to completely get immersed at Your
finished. You are always present and give guidance to
Divine Lotus Feet and Their Supreme Divine Lordships
anyone who sincerely desires to get out of this mate-
Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. Srila Gurudev, kindly guide
rial world and take shelter at the lotus feet of guru and
this otherwise most unworthy servant in this regard.
Krishna. With the key of hari-kathä you opened all
O Srila Gurudev! being the eternal associate of the
the locks to the treasure house that Prabhupada and
Supreme Lord Krishna, and being eternally engaged
our Acharyas have given to us. As the sun melts butter,
in rendering transcendentally pleasing, loving services
that same sun also hardens clay. Similarly, the hearts of
unto Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, kindly shower upon us
atheists and demonicac persons melt when they come
Your causeless mercy from that supreme spiritual realm,
in contact with you, and the devotees become stronger
which alone can free us from näma-aparädha, dhäma-
in their dedication and service to Krishna.
aparädha, vaiñëava-aparädha and sevä-aparädha,
24
I am such an unfortunate soul, Gurudeva, even after
getting your causeless mercy I am not able to leave ma-
terial desires. You are always giving and forgiving, and
I am always getting and forgetting. But I know what
Vedic literature says in summary, and that is, without
the causeless mercy of a pure vaiñëava one cannot
even start spiritual life, what to speak of progress in
spiritual life. Hence, on this most auspicious day, I
beg you to give me strength that I will give my heart
and soul in serving you and your servants. Gurudeva,
you are in the hearts of thousands of devotees whose
only desire is to serve you, and you are guiding them.
Please give me the association of your servants so that
I will be encouraged to dedicate my life to serving at
your lotus feet.
Your aspiring servant,
Sanjeev Das
Offering from Vrndavani Dasi
oà ajñäna-timirändhasya jñänäñjana çaläkayä
cakñur unmilitaà yena tasmai çri gurave namaù
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrimate goura-govinda-svämin iti nämine
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale
çrimate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine
namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëi-pracäriëe
nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe
Sri Vyasa-puja 2010
turned and pointed Your finger at me and said in
a strong powerful voice, “You girl, dance!!!” At that
point the whole temple full of devotees turned
and looked at me, and I ran away screaming :)
To this day I remember it. I only have a few small
memories of You at that age, but I know that the
soul is eternal, and even though I was just a child,
my soul heard and remembered everything You
said in those classes. It is only by Your causeless
mercy that after fifteen years I am back home
where it all started, in Your holy dhäma, Sri
Krishna Balaram Mandir.
You truly are an ocean of mercy. I can see how
everything in my life is changing for the good as I
become more surrendered. Now I am associating
with You through Your disciples and dear
devotees. You are very much alive in Your books,
videos and audio classes, and most of all in the
hearts of your disciples, who are repeating exactly
what they heard from Your lotus lips.
I cannot find the words to express my gratitude
to You and there is no way I can properly glorify
such a dear devotee of Lord Krishna. So Srila
Gurudeva, please forgive me for my offences.
Please keep me in the association of pure
devotees.
Your aspiring servant,
Vrndavani Dasi

Dear Srila Gurudeva, please accept my humble

obeisances on this most auspicious day of Your
appearance on this planet. All glories to Sri Guru
and Gauranga! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Gurudeva, please allow me to pay my respects
to honor You, and to express the undying
gratitude residing in my heart for You.
When I was a small child, just 2-3 years of age,
I came with my parents to live in Bhubaneswar,
under Your instruction. My mother and father
would bring me to Your Çrimad Bhägavatam
classes. One day, at the end of class, I decided to
wander up to the front to sit with my father; just
at that moment, when You were about to give
your garland, You saw me, and I remember You