from Gandharvika Keli Dasi – United States, Charlottesville

Our Dearmost Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our most humble and heartfelt obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet on this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja. All glories to you and to the devotional service you render
at the lotus feet of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Srila Gurudeva, today we are filled with gratitude. How can we express what we feel on this day? Your appearance in this world was our salvation. It is a debt we can never repay, but we can spend the rest of our lives trying to help you in your mission, which is the same as Srila Prabhupada’s. This is the least we can do, but we will most joyfully try.

You frequently quote Shakespeare’s verse: “The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath.”

Rasaraja and I remember these lines often when we think of you, because truth be told, your mercy is what our lives are made out of. Today, we wanted to glorify your quality of being the most merciful.

1. Your mercy protects us in the form of your most recent classes, which remove the most dangerous type of fear by fixing our minds on Krishna — especially in the world we are living in right now.
2. Your mercy shelters us in the form of your kirtans. Your kirtans are infused with a special sakti. While there are so many of your kirtans available for listening to online, they are not commonplace. They are of a rare quality, a sound vibration which encompasses us and breathes new life into us every time we listen to them.
3. Your mercy nourishes us in the form of your pictures on our altar, on our desks, and on the walls of our house. They remind us that you are always here for us, just a thought away.
4. Your mercy inspires us in the form of your continued preaching and outreach to all of your disciples. You are researching for classes, speaking for hours on the topics of your classes, writing and calling disciples, etc. That personal touch and manifestation of deep care sets you apart.
5. Your mercy sustains us in the form of our memories of being with you on Kartik Parikrama (Sri Mayapur Dhama 2018) and at the Sadhu-Sanga retreats — but also in the form of your emails and calls to us. These memories of your in-person association, as well as your vani given in separation, will sustain us for our whole life — however, we pray that there may be many more such times!
6. Your mercy reveals to us — one day, in some lifetime — the nature of the dhama, the nature of surrendered service to the spiritual master, Mahaprabhu, Srimati Radharani and Krishna — which you show us all at every turn by your own example.

Thank you, Srila Gurudeva, for your abundant mercy. Our hands were empty before, but now they are filled with your mercy. Our hearts had mere sentiment before, but now they are overflowing with the desire to serve you.
Srila Gurudeva, “A Prabhupada Man” His lotus feet are always moving,
And with his words, he is always proving,
The message of divine grace,
Which he caringly spreads from place to place — When we begin to spiritually petition,
And when to his message we give aural submission — It is then that we are granted spiritual vision,
And are given the chance to help in his mission. His spiritual heart knows no bounds,
His mercy does enfold and surround, All of those who come to depend,
On this traveling preacher, this well-wishing friend. He follows in the footsteps of his Spiritual Master, Teaching us all the path for averting disaster.
On this special day of Vyasa puja, let us kindly raise our hands, Shouting “Haribol!” for this dedicated servant, this Prabhupada man.

Forever you servant, by your grace alone, Gandharvika Keli Dasi