From Gaura Prema das – Australia, Brisbane

Om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjan- salakaya
Caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah
Dearest Guru Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisance unto your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you.
Today is the very auspicious day of your divine appearance. I would like to wish you happy and healthy Birthday. I today pray to Krishna for your long ever lasting life with unending energy that you always carry with in.
Covid has ended and we all are going back to our pre-covid life. Our life style changed 180 degree due to this global pheonomena however it appears that it hardly affected you in anyway. You were preaching before by visiting places, organising festivals and Yatras and giving your association. You continued to do that during covid through your regular solo parikramas and online lectures and now you have resumed you preaching tours and parikramas.
I was fourtunate enough to attend few days of your Kartik Parikram last year and I felt that my attachment for you has increased compared to my previous parikrama. Before Parikrama, I had decided that I would walk or stay as close to as possible to be part of your Aura. You were always surrounded by little kids giving them your personal associate and at one point I got little jelous of those young vaisnavas. Don’t know but I felt you somehow sensed my mood. After couple of days, I got opportunity to see you in person but I got star stuck and choked. Things just got froze and I wanted to speak however could not utter a single word. I saw you conversing and connecting with Kanish and he was also able to respond back to you with comfort and ease. As I moved away from you, I came back to reality and started thinking about my surprisingly awkward encounter with you. The conclusion I could get to was may be my impure heart which still needs to be cleaned.
In Kartik Parikram 2022, I vividly remember the few kelometers walk that I had with you between Yavat and Ter Kadamba. It was a hot day and many devotees decided to travel by bus. I decided to walk with you considering I don’t know when I would have this opportunity again. We walked through the uneven farmlands and local traffic. All this time, you walked really fast and I struggled to keep up with you considering how hard it was to walk on an even road in bright hot sun. I saw you greeting local village people and talking to them on regular basis during the walk. This shows how humble and simple your character is. On one side, you have hundres of devotees following you and you were still able to keep it subtle and of low profile.
Thank you, Guru Maharaj, for your endless efforts to serve Prabhupada’s mission and inspire others to walk on that path. I would also like to thank you to keep Vrindavan alive in my heart through your classes, facebook posts, your diary notes and I am hoping to see you soon.
Your insignificant humble servants, Gaura Prema das