from Nama Rupini Dasi – Hungary, Budapest

Dear Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. When you visited Hungary in 2014, I had the good fortune to talk
with you. At that time, I still lived with parents. You enquired about my well-being and at the end of our meeting I gave you an envelope. You asked whether there was a letter or donation inside. When informed you that there was laxmi inside, you told me that you would like me to join your Kartik parikrama and this laxmi is your contribution towards it. I became flustered, as this was so unexpected. I’ve tried convincing you twice to accept my donation, in the end you had to give me a stern look and tell me not to disobey the guru’s instruction. I hope that I’ve learnt this instruction for life. Unfortunately, the year after I was unable to travel to India.

Years have passed and I knew that your blessings were there so that is only my lack of spiritual qualification that keeps me from attending your wonderful classes in Vrindavana. At the end of October last year, by your mercy, I was
able to travel to India with my husband, Candra Gupta prabhu and a group 74
of Hungarian devotees. We had the good fortune to spend a few days with you
in Vrindavana. Your classes and kirtans were wonderful! My dream of hearing from you about Krishna in the holy dham finally has been fulfilled.

Our group continued its journey to Mayapur and then on to Jagannatha Puri. I know that I didn’t have the qualification to visit these holy places, but Lord Jagannatha was very merciful tow me. Madhavananda prabhu and his wife lead us on parikrama in Puri. We sang harinam on our way to various places and some devotees were doing sankirtan. I didn’t have the courage to distribute books for years, but there, in Puri, I took up the opportunity and with some books and Oriyan sankirtana stickers, I got going next the harinama party. I felt like I was a young bhaktin, when I regularly went out for sankirtana. Nothing mattered, only that I could distribute as many books as possible and to give the people an opportunity to donate to aid their spiritual progress. The enthusiasm carried me forward, the reflection on the opportunity of being part of Lord Caitanya’s mission and assisting Srila Prabhupada. It was an interesting experience to convince Indians that they should buy books about reincarnation. To those speaking English I tried to glorify Srila Prabhupada. Although the majority didn’t speak English, many still took books.

On a small street, my husband and I approached a well-dressed Indian gentleman and told him that we were foreign visitors but would like to perform some dhama-seva, so we are asking him to kindly take a book. With surging emotions, he started glorifying ISKCON and the devotees. He expressed his gratitude towards our movement and for spreading the glories of Lord Jagannatha all over the world. He told us that his family had been engaged in the worship of Lord Jagannatha’s temple for many generations. He thanked for the book, promised to read it and offered his assistance. He gave us his contact details along with a generous donation. Then with a “Jaya Jagannatha!” we said goodbye and went our separate ways.

When we reached the Jagannatha temple, while Madhavananda prabhu was leading an ecstatic kirtan, we continued our sankirtan. It’s an incredible feeling to distribute books in front of Jagannatha. I really wanted to please Him with this fallen attempt of service. I flew from one person to the next, trying to use every minute. I asked for the mercy of the dhamavasis to bless me to have as much faith in the Lord as they have.

Apart from the time I was able to spend with you, Jagannatha Puri was my most significant experience. I keep that in my heart forever. It was great to get up with and performing bhajans with the devotees, listening to classes and doing everything together.

Thank you very much, Srila Gurudeva, for your causeless mercy, your teachings, my life and the association of devotees.

Your fallen servant and spiritual daughter,
Nama Rupini Dasi