from bh. Siddhartha & Sunita – Australia, Melbourne

Dear Srila Gurudev,
Please accept our humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyasapuja. We pray that your are blissful and in the pink of health (body, mind and spirit).

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ

The symptoms of a sādhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime. (SB 3.25.21)

You truly walk the talk dear Gurudev! The way you deal with your Godbrothers and sisters, disciples, sadhus and spiritualists out of Iskcon, the general public and even flora (hugging trees) and fauna (showing genuine love and affection to wild and stray animals).

“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”—Malcolm S. Forbes.

These qualities shine through and are evidently reflected in the way your carry yourself (your walk, talk, smile, hug, empathetic listening etc.) and the way you deal with others in your day to day interactions. One recent observation that had left a deep mark in Siddhartha’s and my heart is how you very patiently and genuinely heard each and every one of your disciples during the “lockdown-online” God-family meetings and Vyasapuja offerings. You dedicated your valuable time and energy without showing any signs of “switching off” and losing interest (verbally or non-verbally through body language). You didn’t have to stay as long as you did and listen to each and every one of us across the globe, but you did it and did it so lovingly!

Your warm disposition and genuine affection has touched our heart. We love you from the core of our heart and pray to their Lordships for your well-being. You are a valuable asset to the world at large and our beacon of hope as disciples. We genuinely pray to imbibe your mood by following in your sweet divine dashing footsteps and to selflessly serve you, your Spiritual master/s and your disciples now and eternally.

We thoroughly relished your Rishikesh Kirtan Festival this year and you made some emphatic statements on the dire importance of such preaching endeavours. We have taken that to heart. We love Kirtan and were inspired by you at the Murwillumbah New Govardan Farm, Sacred Sound Festival. By your mercy, Sankirtan preaching programs somehow has become our homestead Seva in Melbourne. We hope to serve you in Vrindavan, Rishikesh, Poland, Timbaktu wherever… joyously spreading the Karuna Virus! Glorious transcendental Holy Name far and wide! Jaya!!!

We love who you are and what you stand for. You are super cool, kind, wise, warm, loving, dashingly handsome, smart, strong, vibrant, fun and full of substance and gravity. Oh and your Vyasapuja offering to HDG Srila Prabhupada last year was truly soul stirring and deeeeeeeeply moving! HG Srimurthi mataji read it so beautifully in our Melbourne Vyasapuja gathering and honestly it was the actual highlight of the day for us! Truly deep and inspiring beyond words…
Thank you for everything dear Gurudev… you are our most endearing and bestest friend, parent, teacher and well wisher.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande paramānanda-mādhavam

I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of the fallen souls. His mercy turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains. (CC Madhya 17.80)

Hare Krishna & Lots of love,

Siddhartha & Sunita

Melbourne Australia