from bhaktin Lola Turaeva – Uzbekistan, Tashkent

Dear Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet, all glory to You!

Today, on this day of your Vyasa Puja, I wanted to present You with a small offering that came from my heart.

By some causeless mercy You decided to come after me once in a dream, when in reality I had great difficulty, it was hard to read the mantra and then I prayed to Srila Prabhupada, that I can’t go on like this alone, I need a spiritual master. And You came! You have come to save me from the endless cycle of life and death, and I am eternally grateful to You for this!

From that moment, a new life began for me and I have a reference point in it — it is You. You give me an example of how to serve and love. You are teaching me that despite the difficulties in the material world, one should always continue on this path, go without looking back, and always chant the Holy Names.

Last year after the Kartik parikram, on a personal darsan, you gave me a very simple and at the same time difficult instruction — to serve my family, husband and child. And I try to become a true servant, so that you will be happy with me, I try to do everything in my power. I feel that this instruction saves me from stupidity and suffering, although sometimes it is not easy at all. By your grace, I also understand that I took this birth not only to fulfill my duty as a wife and mother, but also to end this material existence. Therefore, my chanting of the Holy Names is stable. I ask your blessings so that this chanting will never end, but only grow deeper, so that I can develop a taste and love for spiritual life and finally for the Loving Couple, Radha and Krsna!

Recently, while listening to your lectures, I suddenly felt a strong desire to know Lord Krsna, to know him better, to read the scriptures. I know for a fact that this is not my personal desire, it is your grace that you are shedding by telling about the endless games of the Lord.

Dear Srila Gurudeva, please, support this spark of interest so that it will one day ignite like your fire of love, and bless me for a steady listening and reading that will change my heart.

Dear Srila Gurudeva, please, continue your journey, so bright and pure! You are like a lighthouse in a dark sea, in which it is sometimes difficult to see even yourself, you point the right way.

I hope that I will have many more opportunities to continue to get to know you, follow you, and be infected by your enthusiasm and faith in the spiritual life. Dear Srila Gurudeva, please, engage me in the mission of your spiritual master and Lord Caitanya.

Your servant, bhaktin Lola Turaeva