from Ram Rati das and Kamala Sri dasi – United States, Fremont

Respected Srila Gurudeva,

Please accept our most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to your divine grace.

Wishing you a very happy vyasa-puja appearence day, Srila Gurudeva. On this auspicious day, we are reflecting on your most wonderful and divine qualities along with your gestures by which everyone gets attracted and hooked up to Krsna consciousness. Taking inspiration from your recent audio series on “Stimilus for Ecstatic Love”, we were contemplating on your few divine qualities and gestures that keeps us all inspired, motivated, sustains us in our Krsna consciousness and most importantly provides stimulus for practicing Krsna donsciousness.

Smile: As the saying goes, “Smile is the beauty of the soul”. Your smile is very especially enchanting and brings people closer to your lotus feet by which it also brings them closer to HD Grace Srila Prabhupada and the divine couple, Sri Sri Radha Krsna. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagatavam in the purport of 3.22.21 where Srila Prabhupada states, “Pure devotees are so absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa that they have no other engagement; although they may seem to think or act otherwise, they are always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. The smile of such a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is so attractive that simply by smiling he wins so many admirers, disciples, and followers. Something you once said about someone else but rather perfectly describes your divine grace is that when you said, “Your smile illuminates the whole world”.

Personal interactions: Gradually, we learn and understand that Krsna consciousness is the most personal philosophy and your divine grace helps us put that into practice and teaches us by example. Out of your causeless mercy, you spent time with kids talking to them about their interest in education, sports, and life in general and they genuninely feel touched that a pure devotee of the Lord is taking time and interest in their life making them become inspired in their own Krsna consciousness.

Never miss an opportunity to see good in others: You never miss an opportunity to point out something good in others and genuninely use that as a tool to bring that soul closer to Lord Krsna. On such incidence that comes to our mind is the girl from ISV congregation, Shweka, who is now your disciple, Keli-Kunjari Kumari dasi. She made cup cakes for the kids program and you encouragred her so wonderfully that within very short time she became your disciple. This absolultely wonderful quality of yours to magnify even something very small and encourage others is something that we relish and talk about again and again.

Your kirtans: As mentioned, in your pranam mantra, your kirtans gives joy and happiness to all the devotees. There is always something special about your kirtan. Even though it sounds like the same melody to mundane mind and senses, it has its ever transcendental freshness and uniqueness. Devotees cannot help themselves but sing and dance in great joy and happiness in your kirtans. Your kirtans give us the experience of Krsna’s name being non-different than Him which is ever fresh and blissful.

We are and will always remain indebted to you for your causeless mercy and we humbly bow down to your lotus feet asking for us to always be engaged in your service.

Your servants,

-Ram rati das and Kamala-Sri dasi