From Tulasi Dasi – China, Nanning

Respected Indradyumna Swami, Gurudeva!

Hare Krsna! Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet!

Dear Gurudeva, I took second initiation from you in Hong Kong on November 17th. 2009. Before that, I was a disciple of His Holiness Tamal Krsna Goswami, and got first initiation from him by his mercy in 1997. Soon after the initiation, my Guru Maharaja wrote to tell me that he would give me second initiation soon. But after that, my Godbrothers created the ritvik waves in Nanning and Guangzhou. Guru Maharaja was very sad, and did not come to Nanning and Guangzhou for a few years. Soon after that, he got sick, and did not come to Guangzhou until year 2000. I went to meet him in Guangzhou, and that was my last meeting with His Holiness Tamal Krsna Goswami. I have met him only twice in this life. Before Guru Maharaja left his body, he left me an instruction to serve the Lord nicely.

In 1995 Guru Maharaja installed Sri Sri Gaura Nitai deities in Nanning, and
started a temple there. But by that time, all the initiated devotees were very young. After one year of deity worship service, we all felt that we needed
to work to maintain life, and so could not continue to serve the deities. So, without permission of Guru Maharaja, we sent the deities to Guangzhou to be worshiped by the devotees there. In year 2000, the first thing Guru Maharaj said, when he met us, devotees in Nanning, was that he hoped that we could bring Gaura Nitai back and continue to worship Them. It was not until year 2002 that we brought the deities back in Nanning for worship. The deities stayed in one of the devotee’s home for service… till year 2006. Remembering Guru’s instruction to me, we moved the deities out and started a formal temple in Nanning. In the first year of the deities moving out to the temple, all the devotees were doing services together. Those ritvik devotees who claimed to be Srila Prabhupada’s disciples also came back to do service. But the good thing did not last long. One year later, Narayana Maharaja’s group came to Guangzhou. So one devotee in Nanning took one group of devotees to Narayana Maharaja. Ritvik people also took one group. So only five devotees stayed. Only three were disciples of His Holiness Tamal Krsna Goswami: my mother, me, and another Mataji. After one year, that Mataji also left. So only me and my mother stayed.

In this difficult situation, remembering Guru Maharaj’s instructions, my mother and I stood up again, and tried hard to invite new devotees and hold programs. We distributed prasadam and spread the holy name on Sundays.

With ten years work, Nanning finally became better, and there are more than 40 devotees now.

Since His Holiness Tamal Krsna Goswami left the world without having time to give me second initiation, after many years Candrasekhar Prabhu wanted me to take shelter from another Guru and get second initiation. I thought of you. In year 2004, I received your association once in Vrindavan at your place. And that deeply impressed me. You told the Chinese devotees about your preaching experience in Amazon jungles. Your vivid descriptions attracted all of us. That day, I took in every word of yours very seriously. Your devotion to Krsna touched me deeply. I have experienced many setbacks on the devotional path, including life and death experience. But honestly, I am a very proud person in the heart. I also used to listen to many spiritual masters and senior devotees, and felt that many devotees’ classes could not attract me. But that class of yours touched this arrogant soul. So I asked Candrasekhar Prabhu if I could take second initiation from you, hence the initiation ceremony in Hong Kong.

I knew that since you were very busy, you would have no time to reply to letters from devotees. And I was also busy with my temple services every day during those years. So I did not write you or participate in any services to you until year 2017, when I handed over the Nanning temple, and then gradually I started to gather myself together. In year 2019, I took part in your Vrindavan parikrama. Again I was touched by your devotion. This is my second time to write an offering. I want to request your mercy and compassion, so that I could get the qualification for a chance to serve your lotus feet. As a fallen and arrogant soul, I really have no value.

My Guru Maharaja left early, so I became a homeless orphan. Although you adopted me, I did not surrender to you due to my pride. At your lotus feet, I beg you to forgive me, discipline me nicely, give me mercy, and take away my pride. After coming back from Vrindavan, I have been regularly listening to your classes, receiving your instructions. Your instructions for your disciples are all there in your classes. So I hope to try hard to follow your instructions and do humble service, and chant with attention.

On the day of your Vyasa Puja I humbly pray to Krsna so that my Gurudeva can have good health, and spread the holy name without hindrance. I would also like to request Krsna to remind my Guru Maharaja a little bit about me, so that when Guru Maharaja sees me next time, he could remember this fallen soul in Nanning, China, this Tulasi Dasi.

Hare Krsna! Please accept my sincere obeisances at your lotus feet!

Your servant, Tulasi Dasi