from bhakta Valeriy Budyonny

My dear spiritual master, Srila Indradyumna Swami, Please accept my humble obeisances.
The holy scriptures describe the glories of the spiritual master, and state that the spiritual master is not different from the Supreme
Lord Himself, and is a transparent medium between the disciple and the Lord. The spiritual master constantly thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, and involves his disciples in the glorification of the Lord and His devotees. The spiritual master serves the Lord without demanding anything in return. You are a pure devotee of the Lord.

In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krsna says that: “My devotee deserves worship more than I Myself do”, therefore I respectfully bow to your lotus feet. You are an example of how to serve to the devotees, to the Lord and to your spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. You are constantly mentioning that everything that you have — is by the grace of your spiritual master, because of this I also think that everything that I have — is by your mercy, by the grace of Srila Prabhupada and Krsna.

Thank you for Srila Prabhupada, for being born at that time when I met the devotees, thank you for finding me. Now I am completely safe because you entered my life. You gave me Krsna and you gave me knowledge, and thanks to you I can be with the devotees. And also with your help I feel that I am not alone, that I have my dear spiritual master. Thank you for the proper nutrition, as well as for products, that I can purchase without any problems. Thank you for the parents, who gave me this body and raised me so that I met the devotees and accepted the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness. I thank you for allowing me to serve the devotees and for my beloved activities which I do according to my nature. What would I be if not for you and Srila Prabhupada? I admire your desire and determination to serve the mission of your spiritual teacher, and your organization of many festivals and preaching projects.

I am not a rich person and because of my inner qualities I cannot always be financially useful for your festivals and preaching projects, but I try my best to fulfill your instructions and chant the holy names carefully and without any offences. And also use my talents in my preaching. I am a videographer, and I film various videos related to harinams, temple activities, as installation of deities, and devotees’ films. At the end of the letter I will attach links with these works. It will be like my offering to you for your Vyasa Puja. I hope it would inspire you.

Currently I am preparing a new project with Woodstock videos, a couple of years ago I visited the festival and took my camera with me to shoot it. I know that you have invested a lot in the development of this service and I hope that with my little help I can somehow inspire devotees and others to take part in your and Srila Prabhupada’s mission. Of course, I’m not as professional as Ananta Vrindavan Prabhu and I do not have such professional equipment as he does, but I try to invest in my activities, and I hope that I can satisfy you by attracting other people in the society of Krsna Consciousness.

This year, I participated almost every day in Srila Prabhupada’s marathon for a whole month. About half a month later I felt the need to give up, and I could not be inspired to go to sankirtana, but thanks to the senior devotees, I found the strength to continue, and finished the marathon. When it was really hard for me, I recalled your words from the lecture: “You should always be at the front. Sankirtana is the safest place in the world”.

I observed you and more and more I wanted to be like you. At the age of 70 you, as a young guy, — strong and fearless. Despite the difficulties you continue the mission of your Guru Maharaj, you have gone through many trials and obstacles, your health failed you so many times, and you could even be killed several times, as in the case of military operations in Chechnya, or when you were protected by gypsies from the bandits. I am begging you: let me have the same desire and enthusiasm to preach and serve the devotees, Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna like you do, without asking for anything in return and without any selfish motives.

Although I still have many material desires, but, as one great saint, Kardama Muni, said in Srimad Bhagavatam to Lord Visnu: “Although I have material desires, but may You, Lord, be higher than these desires”. So despite all my material desires, may my desire to satisfy you and your spiritual teacher, Srila Prabhupada, be higher than all other ones.

Thank you, once again for all that I have, for all the best qualities that I cultivate in the process of devotional service to Krsna, for all spiritual realizations, awareness and motivation, for all the knowledge that you give me, and also for an example of how to be useful to society, devotees and the Lord.

Respectfully your servant and admirer, bhakta Valery Budyonny