From Radha Kripa Dasi – Belarus, Minsk

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Vyasa Puja celebration.

The meaning of Vyasa Puja ceremony is to serve to a spiritual master as a representative of Srila Vyasadeva. In scriptures it said, that a spiritual master is non-different from God and only by his mercy it is possible to achieve Krsna’s mercy.

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi

On this Vyasa Puja day I am trying to offer my service to you, glorifying your unlimited grace and begging for your mercy.

Srila Gurudeva, you are so much inspired with a position of being Prabhupada’s man, that you yourself became the embodiment of this statement, therefore, for me this is my final destination and the goal of my life. In every lecture and every conversation you mention your object of love — your spiritual teacher.
For me it is the perfect example of thinking about divine instead of material.
Your connection with Prabhupada is unbelievable. Usually people have followers, because they recieve something material in return — money, cheap fame etc, but you did not get nothing material from your spiritual teacher. It is the opposite — you gave your teacher your youth, your life, your disciples — everything, and Prabhupada gave you his love and affection in return.

Srila Gurudeva, now is lockdown, but earlier was time of active life, and for devotees like you are it was time of preaching programs. I remember when about five years ago we were participating in Harinamas in Poland. We were distributing invitations, it was really hot, we were really tired, and I remember that feeling as if I was a soldier. The feeling of connection with you and other devotees was so strong, that it resembled a feeling of a soldier’s during a war — tiredness, comradeship, common goal and constant controlling of mind. We all were focused on you, Srila Gurudev, and we knew, that you are guiding us to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna. I will never repay you for that experience of being in your spiritual army.

Srila Gurudeva, though you are the perfect example of sadhaka, because you are performing your sadhana following the process of controlling your senses as 6 Goswamis of Vrindavan did, you are the perfect example of rasika-bhakta. You are constantly studying scriptures of Goswamies’ and our acharyas’, and quoting them in your lectures. Once you mentioned, that followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu develop gopi-bhava and manjari-bhava — the most intimate mood of service to God — the mood of ragatmikas, eternal residents of Vraj — young gopis, girls, who unconditionally love Radha and Krsna.

Last year in Kartik parikram lecture you told, that people with the similar nature are obviously attracted to each other. And the same way, you said, spiritual personalities taking birth in a material world, can recognize each other, because they have the same mood or bhava. For example in Caitanya lila there is a description of Lord Caitanya and Ramananda Ray’s meeting. Their discussions and activities are highly intimate, and spiritually bring benefit to every living entity. Dear Gurudev, you perfectly serve your spiritual master, and thus you have his mercy. I can only pray to attain your mercy to get a drop of that highest taste of love for God.

Dear Srila Gurudeva, my conviction that there is no satisfaction without God in this world, grows stronger year after year. And you are my spiritual captain, who guides me on the path from illusory word to world of transcendental. You are the perfect example of turning material into spiritual, as you do during the Polish tour or other preaching programs. Your lifestyle, your management, your way of dressing, your speech, your diet and your dealings with devotees and common people — is the source of inspiration for your disciples. Now, during lockdown, the whole world is absorbing in activities of such leaders as Bill Gates, D. Trump, V. Putin, A. Merkel and others. I respect them as well, but I want to dedicate my heart to the path which you lead us on as an eternal leader of us, your disciples. I am eager to participate in your next spiritual project, wherever it can be after the lockdown. Please, accept my efforts to serve you and guru-parampara and let me grow from a spiritual child into a mature personality, and increase my guru-bhakti.

In Srimad Bhagavatam [4.22.47] it is said:

“The word vinoda-patram can be divided into two words, vina and uda-patram, or can be understood as one word, vinoda-patram, which means “joker.” A joker’s activities simply arouse laughter, and a person who tries to repay the spiritual master or teacher of the transcendental message of Krsna becomes a laughingstock just like a joker because it is not possible to repay such a debt. The best friend and benefactor of all people is one who awakens humanity to its original Krsna consciousness”.

My eternal debt to you makes me very joyful, because this spiritual debt is full of bliss. Please, let me remain your eternal spiritual servant and forgive me my offences. I offer my humble obeisance to your lotus feet.

All glories to Vyasa Puja celebration! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your servant, Radha Kripa Dasi