From Kishori Mani Dasi – Chile, Santiago

Dearest Gurudeva,

Please accept my obeisance, All glories to you! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

On this special day of your appearance I want to express in some way my gratitude and admiration

for you. In Caitanya Caritamrta [Adi lila 8.5. Meaning] it says: “In Vaisnava philosophy there are three ways for perfection — namely sādhana-siddha, perfection attained by executing devotional service according to the rules and regulations, nitya-siddha, eternal perfection attained by never forgetting Kṛṣṇa at any time, and kṛpā-siddha, perfection attained by the mercy of the spiritual master or another Vaisnava. Kaviraja Gosvami here stresses kṛpā-siddha, perfection by the mercy of superior authorities. This mercy does not depend on the qualifications of a devotee. By such mercy, even if a devotee is dumb he can speak or write to glorify the Lord splendidly, even if lame he can cross mountains, and even if blind he can see the stars in the sky.”
That is the mercy that you have given me, and although it is shameful every year to have to tell you that I am still far from being a “good disciple”, I still
have a long way to go, and however difficult it is to live in your separation over the years I have been able to feel your presence in other ways, situations and people, no matter how many mistakes I make, you are always there for me. Your mercy is the only qualification I have to approach this higher knowledge, to aspire to purify my mind and someday reach the goal.

And although we are not physically close, I know that it is your hand that always helps me to get up and continue trying to make some progress on the way back home.

“I shall remain your personal guide whether I am physically present or not, just as I am getting guidance from my Guru Maharaja” [Letter of Srila Prabhupada to Tamal Krishna Goswami, July 14, 1977, Vrindavan].

I thank you for being so exemplary, for enthusing by your actions. You are the perfection of devotion to your master Srila Prabhupada, and the perfection of the right humor to serve the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radhe Shyam. Your efforts inspire thousands of people, you are tireless when it comes to expanding the Sankirtan movement, you carry the order of your guru as a standard of life, just as Srila Prabhupada did it with the order of his own master, you provide, first class service class for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. You are humble, kind, sweet father and strong at same time. Thank you for showing me and giving me Vrindavan, thank you for the classes, the letters, the moments that I treasure in my heart and they are consolation when I feel hopeless, thank you for accepting me, despite what that implies.

I pray, humbly, to have your association in this world for many more years. Thank you for so much, sorry for so little.

Your eternal servant, Kishori Mani Dasi