from Vijaya Baladeva das – South Africa, Johannesburg

Dear Śrīla Gurudeva,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupāda! All glories to You!

A year ago I embarked on a fantastic journey of systematic study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami. Being so dumb and materially attached, it is difficult for me to understand all the intricacies of the Spotless Purāṇa but by Your mercy I carry on and learn a lot. One of the realization I got from my studies is that Bhāgavatam is not only the philosophy but also a description of lives of great devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa and their wonderful achievements in bhakti. And just as we see a continuation of such descriptions in amazing biographies of Lord Caitanya and His contemporaries and immediate followers, just as we see it in Śrīla Prabhupāda life story narrated by so many of his dear disciples, we can now watch with our own eyes lives of great devotees like Yourself. Just like we see Nārada Muni, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī, Śrī Maitreya Muni and many other illustrious personalities reciting the glory of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we can now personally listen to Your recorded classes and receive such nectar. Thanks to Your chastity in devotion, the message You deliver to us is the same as when first spoken by Lord Saṅkarśan to Sanat-kumār and then unchanged transmitted from one ācārya to another. You are the true representative of the Gauḍiya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, You carry the torch of knowledge to enlighten us in our ignorance and lead us to the real goal of life, love of God. I want to thank You from the bottom of my heart that You keep the tradition very much alive and in this way Your service to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Śrīla Prabhupāda reaches its perfection. That is what he asked you for: Preach boldly and have faith in the Holy name. You have shown the world how to be a perfect disciple by taking the instruction to Your heart and following it at every step. Please grant us Your mercy so we can at least try our best to serve You and please You. Words cannot describe how proud we all are of You, dear Śrīla Gurudeva. Please bless me and my family. Sīta Carana devī dāsī and our little Sudarshani, on this auspicious day, so we can constantly be engaged in devotional service and be instrumental in this great mission of Lord Caitanya.

Thank you very much

Your humble servants

Vijaya Baladeva das, Sīta Carana devī dāsi and Sudarśaṇī