from Syamala Dasi – United States, Houston

Dearest Srila Gurudeva,

Please, accept our most humble obeisances to the dust of Your lotus feet. All glories to You! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

I am feeling so grateful to be able to write the Vyasa Puja offering in 2020, to be glanced upon and to be blessed by Your Divine Grace. As days and years go by I am realizing how much I should cherish and take advantage of the opportunity of Your personal association, for the material nature is so temporary.

Reciprocating with the desire of ours to be absorbed fully in Krsna consciousness, You gave Your blessings for us to move back permanently to India, Mayapur, during Your darsan at Sadhu Sanga 2019. What I detail below gives an indication of how the Lord arranged everything for us.

So, in December 2019, we all came to India, and myself and kids stayed back with my mother-in-law, so kids get more familiar with the weather and get used to growing up in India. We thought this phase is very critical for their success in Gurukula the next year. This being my very first time taking care of kids without Madhava, it was a little challenging. But we all really loved staying there, moving about on bicycles instead of cars, and staying far from all the material comforts we get in the States. To everyone’s great surprise, the Covid pandemic started and gradually things started getting tightened, and it was getting tougher keeping the kids positively engaged, while I manage household chores and my work. One day (Mar 18) I woke up with a strong inspiration, that I should leave immediately to the U.S., else we will be stuck there in the lockdown. It was so amazing to see how not only did Krsna gave the inspiration, but He facilitated our smooth journey back to the States and more over safely. I felt this miracle happening in our lives only because the Lord saw some sincerity in our attempts to come closer to Him, and heard Your prayers and blessings. As You read, Srila Gurudeva, from the letter of Srila Prabhupada to You, I felt that: “You were watching over us and protecting us”.

The move to the states was timely and a good one. We reached here on Mar 20th, just two days later India went into complete lockdown, cancelling all domestic and international flights. Now here we are as a family together to support each other during the pandemic. I know, Srila Gurudeva, this is very much Your desire as once in Sadhu Sanga, when I reported that Madhava still works in Seattle and goes there once a week. You said: “Better to stay together”. As Madhava also works from home, kids are getting to spend quality time with their dad. I know, as a loving father, You will be pleased to hear that we are safe and secure and that we are together amidst this pandemic.

Materially the pandemic did not disturb us much as our jobs continued. But spiritually we are missing going to temple, associating with devotees and going to Mangala arati and having focused on japa. I pray that soon things will return to normal, or Krsna gives us inspiration on to do the same activities at home with increased focus and quality. Our plans to move back permanently Aug 2020 are still intact, but this time we will all be together as a family either here or there, depending on the COVID situation.

The pandemic has the silver lining as well in the form of Your increased association. I am following all Your webinars and getting nourished. Through them I see Your diligence to Your service of guiding Your disciples and Your intense love for them. You are taking this extra care to guide us, keep us inspired and focused and lifting us above this material world. Through these lectures comes Your shining love for Vrindavan and Srila Prabhupada, which manages to melt my steel-framed heart at times.

We are very fortunate, Srila Gurudeva, that You have found us and chosen to guide us back home back to Godhead along with Your thousands of other fortunate disciples. I am 100% confident that we will make it there, not because I have faith in my efforts, but because I know You will not give up. You will do whatever it takes to make it happen, and we just have to do our part of cooperating and following Your instructions sincerely.

Srila Gurudeva, I always feel that I have never done anything to reciprocate Your love. Deep in my heart there is a tiny spark to do something someday in my life that will please You, so You will one day say: “Syamala, I am proud of you”. I know I have to work very hard to cleanse my heart of all these impurities, and chant purely and sincerely, so this tiny spark becomes bigger and bigger, so one day it consumes all my consciousness and becomes the only goal in my life. On this auspicious occasion of Your Vyasa Puja we are seeking extra blessings from You in this regard. We are sincerely praying to Lord Nrsimhadeva to protect You and give You unlimited spiritual strength.

We are seeking Your blessings for our kids to be successful in their first year in Gurukula this year and for Madhava’s self-sufficient farm project.

With lots of love Your servants,
Madhava Gauranga Das, Syamala Dasi, Nrsimha Krsna Das, Maharathi Das