from bhaktin Reena Limbachia – United States, Detroit

Nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine
namaste saraswati deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi pashchatya-desha-tarine

Dearest Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.

It has been a year since I saw you last. Like always, I was scrambling in the prasadam hall at Sadhu Sanga, trying to serve your beloved devotees when I heard my god-sister say: “Gurudev! Gurudev is here.” As if time had stopped and I become tone deaf, we all gazed at you. You were coming towards us like this floating light, my heart was in my throat and my hands were together in praying form, praying for just one glimpse from you. Little did I know, that Krsna had arranged a full conversation with you that day. My eyes swell up even know, going back to that day, when you shed some of your mercy on me. You see, dearest Gurudev, this is the beautiful, captivating, mesmerizing affects you have on all of us. Your presence and smile, your loving warmth aura, your kindness on us souls who are begging for just one glance — is all one desires. What more could I want but to serve such a spiritual master like you, Srila Gurudev.

Sadhu Sanga has been my sanctuary for some years now, where I would run from one end to another to see you sing, dance, and share your anecdotes from traveling, like moments at airports where you randomly met members of some mafia. I would like to share my sincere gratitude to you, Srila Gurudev, for giving us those moments to have forever in our hearts.

Thank you for giving us so much knowledge, so much love, so much to cherish, and so many avenues for us to grow in our spiritual journey, for which we are forever indebted to you. I only pray, Srila Gurudev, that I continue to remember you in each moment, each breath, each thought, and continue on the path that I am here to serve you, as your servant’s servant’s servant’s servant. As a fallen soul who knows no better, please forgive me, Gurudev, if this is not the correct way to write a Vyasa Puja offering, as it is my first to you.

I pray that I can serve you and your devotees better in any shape or form, at Sadhu Sanga or across oceans, as long as I can, until my last breath.

Patiently waiting for your glance once again, An aspiring servant,
bhaktin Reena