from Sravana Mangalam Dasi – Hungary, Budapest

Dear Srīla Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the day of your Appearance.

Srila Sivarama Swami Maharaja writes in Nava-vraja-mahima [Volume 7]: “Inspired by Lord Krsna from within his heart, the spiritual master guides the disciple to liberation with the beacon of transcendental knowledge through the phases of relationship, practice, and goal. The guidance of the spiritual master does not depend on his physical presence. In his absence, directly or indirectly, the guru continues to guide the faithful disciple”.

I was thinking of you while reading the above. Even though your spiritual master has already left this world, you are still guided by him, directly or indirectly. His presence is an unquestionable part of your life. And this is not only so because of the glorious position of the spiritual master. There is a simple term in the quote, Maharaja says: “faithful disciple”; as it is well known that rain must fall on fertile land, otherwise nothing will grow. In your case, Srila Prabhupada’s desire to elevate his disciple is very clear.
What made his spiritual endeavor become so successful in you? What is behind the simple term “faithful disciple”? Maharaja gives the answer to the question: “Having faith in and following the instructions of the spiritual master is the seed from which all leaves of our relationship with Sri Guru sprout”.

Your personality, aristocratic but very simple and humble, is the wonderful soil of Srila Prabhupada’s mercy. And you have the seed: faith in him. You built up your entire life to fulfil the desire of Prabhupada. Having no selfish desires, you offered everything to spread the mission. Your acts are not ordinary in this world of Kali-yuga; they prove the self-sacrifice of a noble and sensible heart. Or, to be more precise, it is a deep and obedient surrender inspired by the nature of selfless love. It is when one’s false ego diminishes, and thus, free will becomes one with the will of the master. Due to these elevated qualities, the plant representing your relationship with guru has not only leaves: it blossoms. It became a beautiful, fragrant flower, an ornament in Prabhupada’s garden.

On this day, I would like to express my gratitude and acknowledgement to you for becoming part of Srila Prabhupada’s mission. Thank you for accepting me despite my dry and hard heart. Thank you for seeing hope even in a barren land. I have faith in the rainfall of your mercy what could make the dry soil of my heart wet, so that a seed could gloriously sprout even there.

Your insignificant servant, Sravana Mangalam Dasi