A Compilation of Written Offerings

Transcription

1 All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga A Compilation of Written Offerings for our Srila Gurudev, Om Visnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj On His Divine Grace's 73rd Anniversary Sri Vyasa Puja Celebration December 21, 2002 Group 4 Edited and compiled by: Vrndavanesvari dasi Assitant editors: Bharat Chandra das, Damayanti dasi Photographers: Sarvabhavana das, Damayanti dasi, Shyama Malini dasi Cover design: Omkaranath das Graphic contributors: Premanidhi das, Ishabandhu das Contributions: Brajeshwar das, Ananta Rupa das, Sarvabhavana das Translations: Dvija Mani das, Sundari dasi, Jayadev das, Ananga Krsna das Overseen by: Mahananda das B.R A special mention to Krishna Kanta dasi of Italy for the cover portrait.

2 All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga On this occasion of your seventy-third auspicious anniversary appearance day we want to offer you our most affectionate dandavats at your lotus feet. Srila Guru Maharaj is shining in your sankirtan and harinama programs all over the world. You give so much affection to every soul. Oh master be merciful unto us; give us the shade of your lotus feet. All impediments we can overcome with your mercy. All glories to the Sri Vyasa Puja of our divine master. Your servants, Amalaharinama das adhikari Mahadevi dasi Nitaycand das Gangadevi dasi U.K. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my offering for Your Holy Appearance Day. I bow down with my full obeisances to Your lotus feet. I am only the most fallen soul, full of bad qualities, but when I see Your Divine smile all sadness disappears. When I contemplate Your Divine figure my heart feels full of happiness. Although I have no qualities to serve You, You gave me the greatest gift one can desire. Humbly hoping to be Your servant, Shantimoyi devi dasi Italy

3 All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga Dearest Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, Gurudeva, kripa bindu diya. On this most precious and auspicious day of your holy appearance, we humbly and happily join all the devotees worldwide in celebrating our extraordinary good fortune to have you among us. Your grace and shelter, your mercy and kindness, your affection and tolerance, your wisdom and sweetness, your charming and beautiful smile, your words, your stories, your life-giving Krishna katha, your nectarean example of Master and disciple, your closeness and separation, your unconditional love. We are in the Soquel Seva Ashram where your surrendered servitor Rsabdev Prabhu taught us about your closeness. He said, Gurudev is not an old man in India. Gurudev is here, didi, Gurudev is in your heart. Gurudev knows everything. We are remembering this, realizing this, and crossing this wonderful bridge that always connects us and always takes us there with you, feeling close and separate at the same time. Happy and sweetly sad, we are imaging ourselves there celebrating with you and all your dear servitors. Meanwhile we remain here in the Soquel Seva Ashram under the affectionate care of Sripad Janardan Maharaj, trying to do some service. Your insignificant and aspiring servants, Kalindi D.D. and Vaidehi D.D.

4 Dear Gurudeva, My most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I am not qualified, but I can claim that the vaishnavas who gather together at this institution are very noble. They greet the visitors wonderfully. The manager of the Rio congregation is worthy of his position because he is an authentic, brave and lovable man, and his wife is a very dedicated devotee. Bhakta Antonio Cesar de Souza Rodrigues Brazil Iput myself at the lotus feet of every devotee of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. Since my initiation into Krishna Consciousness I have been trying to serve at the Rio Math. I have been studying the Srimad Bhagavat Gita along with my God-brothers. I wish you peace, health, love, life, freedom and triumph. All glories to His Divine Grace Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev- Goswami Maharaj. Your servant, Gourapriya Brazil Dear Srila Gurudev, You are like an island of joy within this ocean of sorrow. The light of Your devotion cuts through the fog of illusion. I'm sorry I have nothing to offer for the mercy of Your Grace. I have no real devotion or knowledge. All I can do is offer myself to You to use me however you see fit. Please engage me in Your service. I ask for nothing other than possibly a drop of Your association. Your servant, Jeff Paczkowski San Jose/Santa Cruz, California

5 All glories to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga! Thank You For Giving Thank you, Krishna, for this time on Earth, At last I came to You through many births. Thank You for experiences of good times and bad, Because now by Your mercy I will never be sad. Thank You for my association with Your servants, That love You as I do. We all have a fuller life, And it s all because of You. Thank you for giving. We can't stop living, To serve at Your Lotus Feet, And speak about You to all we meet. Hare Krishna Uddhavananda Das Soquel, California

6 tandera carana sebi bhakta sane basa janame janame mora ei abhilasa Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my dandavat pranams at your lotus feet. I take the occasion of your Vyasa Puja to express my deepest gratitude to you. You have rescued this conditioned soul from the darkness of material existence, engaged only in sense gratification. Although I have no qualification, you gave me the opportunity to practice Krishna Consciousness by taking me into your warm and glorious spiritual family. So I continue my engagement in the service of your lotus feet. Your aspiring servant, Madhurananda das Italy Dandavats Srila Govinda Maharaja, You are the embodiment of supreme mercy and tolerance of us, the fallen souls of Kali Yuga. Kind wisdom of such a high type is only to be found in such a grand personality as yourself. With your transcendental humor you charm the world with your compassion. You cradle us spiritual babies, and with your depth of devotional vision you lead and teach in such a way as only you can. Always engaged in your Guru's service, traveling worldwide, hunting for the Lord's lost servant, and making available so much to bring us closer to our almighty Master with books, and so many buildings to use for so much seva. Our gratitude knows no bounds. While your spiritual life is supremely dynamic. I m afraid mine is only external, merely going through the motions. But if I ever become sincere Gurudeva, it will be by your mercy. By your grace only will I make some advancement. On this auspicious 74th appearance of your Divine Grace may we glorify you now and forever. Begging for forgiveness for my ominous faults, Your puny servant, Dwarakesh dasa London Math

7 Dear Glorious Master, Sri Vyasa Puja December, 2002 I offer my obeisances today and always. Forever my desire is to follow Your Holy Footprints upon the golden staircase, the definite Path back home, back to Godhead, Krishna Reality The Beautiful. I wish to always treasure the Causeless Mercy bestowed upon me by You. Thank You for everything. brahmate brahmananda bhagyavan kona jiv guru krsna prasadi bhai bhakti lata bij From Your disciple, Ramananda das Christchurch, New Zealand. My dear Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I continue to pass my days without any use to you, and nothing useful has yet come out of what I am trying to do. I have no doubt the fault is mine. I am not trying hard enough, and my offenses are too many. But you please kindly accept what I do. I beg you to kindly grant me the opportunity to do at least one thing useful for you in my life. Your humble servant, Anand Dear Govinda Maharaj, Please accept our koti dandavats at your lotus feet,which is the only way to serve srila Gurumaharaj.To see him in you Maharaj. Once again koti dandavats. Your ever willing servant Vijaykrsnadas,Rajeswary,Vaishavi,Arati,Shubhatra and all your disciples in singapore. Haribol

8 Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my obeisances. I hope you have a wonderful Vyasa Puja. You are my Gurudeva, and my spiritual master. You are so wonderful to me, for giving me both first and second initiation. I think you're the nicest most humble person in the world. I miss you a lot, and wish I could see you soon. I hope you have a wonderful Vyasa Puja with sweets, food, and gifts. With all my affection, Your servant, Sarvananda Dasa (son of Srutasrava das) All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga Please accept my dandavat pranams to your lotus feet. It is by the mercy of Krishna that I am able to receive some shelter from your divine grace. Without you I would be lost; my life would have no direction, no reason. How can one have spiritual life without a Guru as merciful as you, with someone to give light and direction? You are my spiritual master, and I am at your disposal. I am eternally grateful for all the affection you have showered upon us. We are so lucky to have a spiritual master as wonderful as you. May your Vyasa Puja be as amazing and exquisite as you are. Your servant, Kalachandji San Jose, California

9 O ocean of mercy and compassion, Srila Gurudev Govinda Maharaj, Srila Narottama dasa Thakur instructs us how to pray to a pure servitor of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: ei-baro koruna vaisnava-gosani patita-pavana toma vine keho nai O Vaisnava Goswami, please be merciful to me this one time. You are the savior of the fallen; without you there is no one. yahara nikate gele papo dure yaya emona doyala prabhu keba kotha paya Just by being in your presence, sins go far away. Where can anyone find such kindness? tomara hrdoye sada govinda-visrama govinda kohena-mama vaisnava parana In your heart Govinda is always resting. Sri Govinda Himself says, I am the living force of My devotees. O Vaisnava Thakur, Srila Govinda Maharaj, I am always indebted to your Divine Grace for your spiritual protection and guidance. May the dust from your lotus feet and the feet of your sincere disciples be the crown upon my fallen head.birth after birth, I pray for this blessing. With bowed head, I offer my obeisance and affection, Jagamohini didi U.S.A

10 Humble supplication at the Lotus Feet of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj Because of His ever gracious and merciful nature the Supreme Godhead desires to reveal Himself to the world through the medium of religion. According to the age and the capacity of the people many religions have appeared in this plane each showing something of Godís infinite grace and concern for the salvation and eternal well being of His creation. A careful and unbiased study of religious and philosophical thought will inevitably bring the true seeker to the spiritual subjects of the sages of ancient India. Amongst the vast ocean of gods and goddesses, saints and seers, mystics and charlatans arrayed before the seeker's eyes, if one is extremely fortunate, he may come to the line of thought originating from the very fountainhead of Divinity, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The followers of Sri Chaitanya have dubbed themselves as 'Rupanuga', or the disciples of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupad the leader of the apostles of Sri Chaitanyadev. In this pre-eminent line of Spiritual thought we find the teachings of Sri Jiva Goswami (acclaimed as the greatest philosopher ever known to humankind), Sri Narottam, Sri Vishvanath, Sri Baladev and in more recent times Sri Thakur Bhaktivinode and his successor and heir Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, the founder of the world renowned 'Gaudiya Math'. Under the direction of Sri Saraswati Thakur the precepts of Sri Chaitanya began to travel outside of the boundaries of India to find converts in all countries of the world fulfilling the prophecy of Sri Chaitanya Himself and the vision of Sri Thakur Bhaktivinode. Amongst the venerable followers of Sri Saraswati Thakur, Sri Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj shines foremost like the full moon surrounded by the innumerable brilliant stars. Inheriting the mantle of Sri Rupanuga Acharyya by the direct acknowledgement and will of his Divine Master, Srila Sridhar Maharaj established the pristine line of unadulterated Devotion, protecting and nurturing the

11 current of Divinity, non-different from that revealed by Sri Chaitanya Himself. Presented in its most natural and charming form, perfectly suitable for the modern age, the revealed Grace of God stands enshrined in the Universal Temple of Understanding which goes by the name of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. God shines His Light upon the world and we only need to step out from the darkness to feel its warmth and life-giving rays. But where the sun shines brightest the shadow is always darkest and so along with the highest revelation there is always the danger of the worst type of adulteration. Now in the 21st century we find that the message of Godhead becomes covered by imitaionism, sentimentalism, fanaticism and impersonalism. Arrogance replaces humility, hostility replaces tolerance and duplicity and vice replace honour. The highest Spiritual Truths are no longer revered and worshipped but are taken as objects to be enjoyed in a dreadful parody of Divinity which leads the human soul down to the worst type of hell. With utmost foresight and care the great Guardian of Devotion, Srila Sridhar Maharaj called upon his eternal associate-servitor in the form of an effulgent and beautiful brahmin boy from the Holy Land of Sri Chaitanya and made him into his own likeness. Bestowing him with all necessary attributes to make him the ideal champion and protector of the Sri Rupanuga Sampradaya, that divine boy has become the world renowned Acharyya of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, His Divine Grace Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. He is the true successor and genuine disciple of Sri Srila Sridhar Maharaj, the full inheritor of all his Spiritual wealth. Ornamented with the deepest philosophical insight, gravity and unfathomable Grace, Srila Govinda Maharaj is the very personification of the famous verse which has issued from the Lotus Mouth of Lord Sri Chaitanya; trinad api sunichena, taror api sahisnuna, amanina manadena, kirttaniya sada harih. All those who profess to be seekers of Divinity and devotees of Truth, whether professor or novice must finally come to fall at the feet of Jagat Guru Sri Srila Govinda Maharaj. In the dust of his feet all perfection lies and in his service the living beings will find their eternal

12 prospect and final resting place. Only God can give Himself to the world and He chooses to do this through the agency of the Divine Guide or Sri Guru. Only the self deceivers will think that Sri Guru is a mortal man of fallible nature, and those who sincerely wish to connect with all that is Godly will see Sri Guru fully manifest in the form of Om Vishnupad Jagat Guru Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev- Goswami Maharaj. May he mercifully give his Light and his Grace to all those who are desirous of it and may the Earth feel the blessing of his footsteps and in turn bless her children with all the gifts that the Lord of Love, Sri Krishna Reality the Beautiful, has given for them. May the Church of Sankirttan of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu be all-victorious in the Universe. Jai Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharyya varya astotarra sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki Jai. Jai Nitya Lila Om Vishnupad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharyya varya astotarra sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki Jai. With utmost humility A lowly servant Devashis das (Secretary, London Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math) All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga All Glories to my Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Sri Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj To the person who gave me the eyes to see, heart to feel and true consciousness to realize the real necessity of devotional service. Jaya Gurudeva. Humbly, Vijayaksa Das Prabhu Brazil

13 All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga My Dear Srila Gurudev, Please accept my dandavat pranams at your nectarean lotus feet. Please also forgive my numerous offences and the pretentious words I am about to write in attempt to glorify Your Divine Grace on this your Holy Vyasa Puja. Again, I have to say that, despite having the occasional realization by the grace of Sri Guru-Gauranga, I actually know nothing. My false ego tells me, with all apparent sincerity, that I have some knowledge. However, when you are before us, Srila Gurudev, happily I am seeing that I am but a microbe, and that false ego has to retreat, in embarrassment, while you are present. Then by the will of Krishna, we can see something of your greatness. In my lowly opinion, you are great because of your humility and uncomplicated projection of bhakti. When I read of the great vaishnavas, I am reminded of you. In you reside the qualities of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur: your tolerance and humility and your compassionate dealings with us fallen souls. Also Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's mood of preaching according to time and circumstance is evident in your makeup. And many more comparisons can be made. Slowly but surely, you are spreading the mission of your great Guru Maharaj in a huge way. May it continue eternally and in an infinite manner. I pray to the Lord that Your Divine Grace spends Saturday feeling much ecstasy in the association of the good vaishnavas. Hare Krishna. Your aspiring servant Paramananda das All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga All Glories to my Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj To the person who took me out of darkness, who guided me to the direction of light and consciousness. To the person who guides me towards Krishna. From your humble servant, Karuna Moyee D.D., Brazil

14 All Glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga All Glories to Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj Dear beloved Gurudeva, Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet. On this most auspicious day of your appearance, we humbly express that we have been truly blessed to have such an exalted and pure Vaishnava as our Gurudeva. You have given us hope in our worldly existence. We don't feel qualified to describe your beautiful, incomparable and unlimited qualities but we pray that by your endless mercy someday our ignorance will be dispelled and that we will have the qualities to honor and serve you with full respect. Please Gurudeva keep us always engaged in your divine service. May we always have the shelter of your lotus feet. Your aspiring servants, Saraswati d.d., Virachandra das, Chaitanya das All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga My Dearest Govinda Maharaja, Please accept my humble dandavat pranams. I want to say that I am so very happy with you as my Gurudeva. I cannot express myself properly, but I hope you know you are our greatest source of spiritual Krishna Conscious energy and love. I am very thankful for that. I'm so fortunate to try and be a disciple of yours. Have an extraordinary Vyasa Puja day with all the beautiful devotees and the great prasadam. I wish I could have been able to come. With all my love, your daughter, Rasa Mayi Pandita D.D. Holland

15 Dear Srila Gurudev, Please accept my dandavat pranams at Your holy lotus feet. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. You have appeared in this world to preserve the Rupanuga Sampradaya, to fulfill the desires of our Guru Varga. The shade of Your Lotus Feet gives shelter from the burning sun of material existence. You are the personification of Sri Sri Siksastaka. By your mercy, I have affection for You in my heart. This is the greatest miracle, that You have accepted me as Your disciple. It is your causeless mercy on me, to give this most sinful and undeserving person an opportunity to serve You and Your Devotees. The fortune of Your appearance in this world is so huge it cannot be calculated. The glory of Your personality cannot be fully comprehended by someone as polluted as me. Your appearance has given this world a purpose. I shall forever be grateful for Your appearance, birth after birth. I pray that by Your mercy, my goal will forever be to serve You. By Your mercy, my desire is to see You satisfied and happy. All glories to Your all-auspicious transcendental Appearance in this world, a flood of compassion and mercy, inundating affection even into the darkest of places, such as my heart and consciousness. You brought harmony and beauty to this world, and out of Your infinite compassion, even I am allowed to have the association of You and Your Devotees. You have given a real home, a shelter in a storm. All glories to Your Holy Appearance Day, Gurudeva. Please forgive any mistakes in this offering. Ajita Krishna Das Soquel, California

16 Dear Srila Gurudeva, Sri Vyasa Puja December, 2002 Please accept my most humble dandavats at your lotus feet. It was three years ago that Your Grace kindly gave me shelter at Your lotus feet, and for that gift I am forever grateful. I consider that day to be the happiest day in my life. It is through Your grace and mercy alone that I am able to make these tiny little steps on my journey of spiritual life. It is through Your grace and mercy alone that I am able to render some small service to Your lotus feet and to the lotus feet of The Divine Couple. Your guidance and mercy have given me a deeper insight and understanding what it means to love and be a servant of The Divine Couple. I am ashamed not to be able to take full advantage of this chance Your Grace has given me. Every day I feel the kind and loving glance coming from our Deities Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha-Govinda. I know for certain that without Them and You in my life, my heart would stop in a moment. It is Their and Your presence in my life that makes it worth living. Without that mercy my spiritual life, my existence would stop. Please forgive me for not being able to offer anything in return for this precious gift. Your Grace has opened a totally new world for me, with new aspirations and new ideals. With that in mind I offer this humble prayer at Your lotus feet. tvam gopika vrisavares tanayantike 'si sevadhikarini guro nija-pada-padme dasyam pradaya kuru mam vraja-kanane sriradhangri-sevana-rase sukhinim sukabdhau O beloved spiritual master, you are always in the presence of the cowherd girl Radha, the daughter of King Vrisabhanu. Please award me service at your lotus feet, which are the proprietors of devotional service. Please place me in the ocean of joy by bestowing upon me happiness in the mellows of service at the lotus feet of Sri Radha in the groves of Vraja-dhama. Your humble servant, Ananta-priya dasa, Slovania

17 My dear Srila Gurudev, I offer my humble pranams unto your lotus feet. When I think of you and try to express my gratitude for you, I find myself always coming to one point. I am bereft of all good qualities; my spiritual practices are insignificant, yet in my heart I cherish a hope that is my only treasure - a hope for that which is adored by Sri Sanatana Goswami and distributed by the preceptors realized in transcendental mellows, headed by Sri Rupa Goswami, for that which is tasted and enhanced by Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and followers and carefully protected by votaries headed by Sri Jiva Prabhu a hope for that most sweet and sublime goal is the only thing I have. I may not be qualified to have it, but I haven't forcefully taken possession of it. It was given to me by you, simply through my connection with you; there has been no endeavor from my side. Now instead of me trying to serve you and show some gratitude to you that gift of yours is gently but steadily trying to enthuse me for a life of die to live sacrifice; it is whispering in my ear that I am neither of this body nor of this world; it is encouraging me to develop deep love for the sound divine, and it is always there when seemingly unfavorable things happen, trying hard to remove the veil of illusion and reveal the smiling face of the Lord behind it. I do not know a word that can properly express gratitude for such a gift. That hope sometimes mercifully reveals to me a drop from the boundless ocean of my faults and disqualifications. At such moments I almost become desperate, but then I remember that if I am so fortunate to have a master who bestowed such a high goal upon me, and everything needed to attain that goal a perfect example to follow, all good qualities, spiritual potencies and good will required. Thus I remain peaceful. I simply do not dare to try and sing your glories. I am sure that due to my many disqualifications, such an attempt could never possibly do justice to your glory. But I pray that I may always have firm faith in service and submission to your lotus feet, where everything needed or desired on one's spiritual path is surely found. My hands are empty, I've got nothing of value to offer to you, and thus with a mere Thank you! I bow down at your feet and hope to remain in their shelter forever. Humbly yours, Navanalini devi dasi

18 Dearest Srila Govinda Maharaja, Sri Vyasa Puja December, 2002 On this most wonderful of days please accept our dandavat pranams at your lotus feet, which graciously grant supreme success and illuminate the path of bhakti. You are the unlimited reservoir and true treasure trove of the sweet science of seva. You are devotional dedication personified. You delight the whole universe with your revelation of all the Dham s beauty. You inconceivably cause that which is inconceivably beautiful to become infinitely more inconceivably beautiful. Upon seeing your beautiful divine form, your temples, and amazing manifestations, or hearing your sweet words, one becomes stunned, overwhelmed, and perplexed, causing a sweet confusion which defeats the intellect, melts the mood of calculation and bestows devotion, dedication, and divinity. The devotees, demigods, and siddhas all sweetly sing of your successes. Even the dhama bhasis are amazed, entranced, and enthralled by your miraculous manifestations, which are wonders of wonders. All of your divine emanations are incredible. To mention a fraction of them would require millions of mouths. One recent inconceivable fulfillment of Srila Guru Maharaja s transcendental desire is Mahaprabhu s Divine Water Play and Sri Gupta-Govardhan Sri Mandir. You have done so much, for so long, with so little. You are like the personification of Draupadi s divine prasadam pot. You are showing the Dham everywhere by giving your sweet shelter to the shelter-less. Your soldiers and great generals are following your lead as you are carrying high and waving triumphantly the victory flag of Sri Chaitanya Saraswata Math, planting that flag everywhere and spreading its glories throughout the universe. Jagat-Guru Paramahamsa Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Ki Jaya! Begging to be engaged in your seva eternally, Jagadananda das, Madhu Mati dasi, Gaura Nataraja das, Yamuna dasi, Varsana dasi, Satyabhama dasi, Ramananda das, Krsna Priya dasi, and Premananda das.

19 All Glories to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga The Sweet Heart of Devotion Far, far away, beyond the gentle rolling pastures green, Stood Govardhana Hill, the beacon of eternal pleasure, To a pure and precious treasure. Her distant sky was of His brightest blue, Her happy clouds left sun-dappled shadows Upon Her fertile dome, And even in the songs of birds He heard Her hope of His return. Though far, far away, Our Lord could see The most sacred waters of Her sparkling pond, And He could smell the rose blossom And honeysuckle upon Her banks. Though far, far away, upon those perfumed banks, There stood Her most perfect Welcome Home. His sweetest love, his dearest heart, The rhapsody of His desire, And He the fairest of them all. Your Servant, Premaswarup das U.K.

20 Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. Your holy appearance day heralds the unique gift of seva in the line of Sri Rupa Goswami. You are experiencing this and teaching devotional practice. You are always keeping close the reminder of how exclusive Srila Guru Maharaj's conception is, and when you share drops of your nectar they are filled with such happiness, it is quite impossible to measure their true dept. If attaining the impossible is an inevitable conclusion for the aspirant I must pray for your mercy. I know that your kindness is unlimited, so despite my total inability to cooperate you can still reach out and make a difference. The shelter of your lotus feet seems like a palatable destination to this lost soul. Servant of your servant, Aditi Nandana Dasa London Todas las glorias a Sri Krishna Chaitanya y Prabhu Nityananda Todas las glorias a Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, mi querido maestro. En este día tan especial, solo puedo desearle salud y bienestar, para que su fuerza y su luz nos ilumine. Mi querido maestro, yo nos merecedor de su compasión ni de su asociación, pero usted que tiene un corazón tan bondadoso. Comparte su pureza con nosotros por medio de sus palabras tan dulces. Mi querido maestro, espero que esté rodeado de sus devotos más queridos y que a también ellos estén llenos de salud. Solo me resta desearle que todo sea absoluta felicidad en este día y que le agradecemos infinitamente su dulzura. Humildemente, Murari Mohan Das Orizaba/Veracruz, México

21 Dear Srila Govinda Maharaj, I bow to your lotus feet again and again, and pray that this letter reaches you in great health. All my life you have been The light that I look forward to. No matter the raging storms around me, The pelting hail, the fierce sheets of rain, The torrents of thunder and the material wailing winds. Just like the sun you are always there Whether or not I can see you, Like the sun you are just behind the clouds, Or on your way back around the world to shine your sweet nectar of transcendental wisdom. The one thing that has always protected me, Kept me safe and sane, Is you my dear sweet Gurudev. Your words of wisdom shield me, Your kind mercy lifts me up, And your loving nature forgives me. So I ask you one question? What can I give to you, For all that you have given to me? Not even if I owned the whole universe,and gave it to you, Could I repay your generosity. You have given me the purest of air to breath, The sweetest of Nectars to drink, The most valuable of all possessions, Your divine mercy, And transcendental words. I bow to your lotus feet again and again, My dear sweet Gurudev. From your aspiring servant, Varsana devi dasi Soquel, California You give without taking, You protect without wanting, You nurture without end.

22 All Glories to His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj gurvvabhista-supurakam guru-ganair asisa-sambhusitam cintyacintya-samasta-veda-nipunam sri-rupa-panthanugam govindabhidham ujjvalam vara-tanum bhaktyanvitam sundaram vande visva-gurun ca divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija-pradam Most respected Govinda Maharaj, Today, all sincere disciples, followers, friends and well-wishers of our most beloved Srila Gurudeva assemble together to celebrate the very glorious occasion of Your appearance in this world. Chosen by His sweet will You do nothing else then selflessly fulfill His Divine desire with full determination, and everyone can see the fruits of that effort. Every member of that glorious Vaisnava family is astonished by your strong and uncompromising service, and all of us are fully dependent on Your nectarian mercy and grace, which is constantly distributed by You in a very friendly and highly devotional mood! We humbly worship the holy dust touched by Your lotus feet in hopes that one day our hearts become pure enough to understand Your unending greatness and be able to somehow help You fulfill that glorious, absolute and sweet instruction given to You by Srila Guru Maharaj Himself. On this blessed day we can't but glorify You in deep joy and affectionately let everyone hear about Your beautiful pastimes, about Your immense dedication, about Your kindness and affection to other Godbrothers and Vaisnavas, about Your strong patience, about true humbleness and selflessness, about sincere help to others, about Your adorable sweet smile, about Your incomparable compassion, about Your ability to face and overcome obstacles, about Your natural happiness and delight capturing magically everyone who comes to You, and about many other wonderful transcendental qualities You possess. Yes indeed about all these blissful and extraordinary qualities we'll spontaneously tell to those who are thirsty and in search of life giving nectar. Dear Govinda Maharaj, may this special and wonderful day of Your

23 Sri Vyasa Puja celebration be most happy, unforgettable and peaceful, full of divine bliss and ecstasy for all present sincere Vaisnava devotees and friends. Forgive me that I have been disturbing You. I beg to be blessed with Your Divine Inspiration. Please kindly accept my sincere humble obeisances and allow me to touch and remain in the dust purified by Your Sweet Holy Lotus feet. Your fallen aspiring servant of your servants, Bilvamangala das gurvabhista-supurakam guru-ganair asisa-sambhusitam cintyacintya-samasta-veda-nipunam sri-rupa-panthanugam govindabhidham ujjvalam vara-tanum bhakty anvitam sundaram vande visva-gurun cha divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija-pradam Dearest Gurudeva, Please accept my dandavat pranams at your Lotus Feet. I hope that you are well. During this auspicious time of your Vyasa Puja, I always remember in amazement, the ways in which you have showered me with your blessings, nurturing spiritual awareness into my barren life. I am so fortunate to have your pure and divine association. Gurudeva, seeing your wonderful smile brings joy to my life. Your boundless mercy teaches me to embrace real love of God and devotional life. Your beautiful words of guidance are sweet music that awakens all souls to the incredible legacy of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. I pray that I will cultivate the courage and sincerity to enable me to render dedicated service unto your lotus feet. All Glories to Gurudeva, the Lord and Master of My Heart. Your Daughter and Aspiring Servant, Ratnavali Devi Dasi London

24 All Glories to the Auspicious Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaja! jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda (C.C. Adi-Lila, 1, 35.) Adorable Guru Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances to Your Divine Lotus Feet. I would like to give my congratulations for another celebration of Your Auspicious Appearance. Dear Gurudeva, I hope with all my heart that Sri Krishna preserves You with good health. I also wish that You are very happily engaged with Your Divine associates, friends and guests. Your sweet Beauty floods my heart of happiness, my soul panting for Your nectar sails from this valley of illusion, sometimes sadly, sometimes happily, and I remember Your dear personality. Oh how silly I am. Gurudeva is the sweetness; You are the voice of my soul, You are the real happiness. Gurudeva please accept these lines that I offer humbly and sincerely. Only Your Infinite Mercy without reason sustains my life. Happy Birthday! Sincerely, Lalita Sundari didi Cancun, Mexico All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my dandavat pranams at Your holy lotus feet. All glories, all glories to Your Divine Grace, my affectionate guardian and most beloved father. All glories to all Your devotees. Tunga Vidya devi dasi Italy

25 Dearest Srila Govinda Maharaj, Please accept my sincere dandavat pranams at your sweet and holy lotus feet. I always feel inadequate to describe your glories. They are so wondrous, and I am so small. You've given shelter to this fallen soul while I'm drowning in a turbulent world full of misconceptions. Both boldly and subtly they are surrounding me at every moment, but I know if I can stay in the shelter of your lotus feet I will be protected. I have nothing else. You so generously, with infinite tolerance and affection, extend your guardianship. Your capacity to give seems to be unlimited. Your tolerance of the confused and fallen is like a father, wishing for the best outcome of the child. I remember one time in your room in Nabadwip you looked around at the devotees present and said, "It is the unfortunate person who cannot accept my affection. It is not show, it is real!" I felt that you threw this right to my heart. I pray that I never become one of those unfortunate souls. I pray to serve you and perhaps even give you some pleasure in some small way. I have no capacity to repay the great gift you have given me, but with fortune perhaps I can try. Begging to be of use, Swarnangii dasi Soquel Seva Ashram, California Dear Gurudeva, Light, Love, Harmony and Comfort come with You! Let all the world be good because of you are here. With love and respect on Your holy day of appearance, Tripta Krishna Devi Dasi Vyborg, Russia (St. Petersburg)

26 Todas las Glorias a Sri Sri Guru Y Gauranga gurvabhista-supurakam guru-ganair asisa-sambhusitam cintyacintya-samasta-veda-nipunam sri-rupa-panthanugam govindabhidham ujjvalam vara-tanum bhakty anvitam sundaram vande visva-gurun ca divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija-pradam Jay Gurudev, Hoy en el dia trascendental de su divina aparicion, me faltan palabras para expresar mi sentir. En este y todos los dias puedo decir gracias Gurudev, gracias por derramar su misericordia, gracias por darnos inspiracion y por hacernos merecedores de formar parte de esta gran familia. Hoy en el dia de su advenimiento debemos todos dar gracias al Señor siva por haberlo concebido. Ofresco mis humildes reverencias a aquel que con solo ver su rostro de loto puede hacer que la ira de un corazon sea derrotada y separada del mismo. A aquel que no es diferente de su Guru Maharaj y del mismo Bhagavan Sri Krishna, a aquel que nos entrega dulcemente las concepciones de Sri Rupa y de su Guru Varga, a su divina gracia Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj, quien posee una misericordia ilimitada, quien es querido por todos los Gaudiya Vaisnavas y quien es el maximo representante del Señor Nityananda. Una vez mas gracias Gurudev por habernos rescatado de las turbulentas embestidas de este mundo material y por entregarnos el divino servicio a Sri Sri Radha y Govinda. Esperando algun dia poder complacer el deseo de los vaisnavas, Dhaneshwari d.d. Peru

27 All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga Dear Gurudeva, Dandavat pranams on this most auspicious occasion of your Vyasa Puja. This day is the supreme opportunity for a fallen soul as myself to aspire to glorify the non-different form of Lord Nitai. This great privilege is aspired for by great demigods and sages. There is no limit to your glories. We are living and aspiring for the service plane only by your Divine Grace. You are the Ocean of mercy and the only hope for the human race. Your mercy and patience is astonishing, and this tiny soul is praying always for the spiritual intelligence to always aspire for the association and service to your Vani and Vapu forms. Only by your Grace can one aspire to serve you and glorify you. I beg eternally to always have the opportunity to serve your Divine Grace and to follow in your footsteps toward complete and absolute surrender to your Lotus Feet. Forgive my audacious and unqaulified attempt to glorify one as Great as you. My small attempt is only possible by your Divine Grace. We are all living on your prasad remnants and I hope one day by your Divine Grace I may fully surrender to your desire. ara na koriho mane asa. All Glories to your Divine Presence in this world. All glories to your Divine mission on the earth planet. All Glories to the associated clan, the Vaisnavas the practitioners and your many well-wishers. This tiny soul prays always for the privilege of service in your association in every birth that I am to take. You are the prana of all aspiring Vaisnavas you are the heart of Gaura and Nitai and you are the hope for the fallen souls. Ebe jasa ghusuk tribhu vana. Dandavata pranams from your aspiring servitor, Asraya vigraha das New Zealand, presently living in London

28 All glories to You Gurudeva This year I have been blessed again to attempt to chant your glories, but I already know that I will be a failure. Still, what other engagement do I have in this world besides this? You are making this world that is full of suffering the most wonderful place to live. Your affection has the power of the touchstone, which transforms this terrible plane of existence into the plane of pure love. The vibration of your sweet voice alone is able to fill up the heart with joy. The sight of your compassionate smile is giving peace to the mind, and the touch of your lotus feet is purifying the whole world. Really there is no one as merciful as you in the whole universe. Nothing in this world can be compared to you. I feel that you are so close to my heart, and I know that this is only due to your oceanic mercy. I pray to the Lord that He allow me to eternally serve you, and never allow me to give any sad feeling to your heart. All glories to you, forever and ever. Wholeheartedly I wish you a happy birthday! I hope you like the new house that we have got with all the Italian devotees. Please, accept this house as a gift for your birthday. I hope I will see you again soon. Your daughter, Krishna Kanta devi dasi Italy

29 All Glories to the Divine Appearance Day of Our Beloved Sri Gurudev Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Varya Astottara-Sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaja. Dearest Srila Gurudev, Only by your divine mercy do we have some fortune to try to come to our real senses. By serving your lotus feet all good fortune in the realm of Sri Seva will come to help us recover our forgotten enthusiasm in Sri Bhakti. You're perfect, charming, loving, dedicated and so full of affection for us no matter our wretched state. We all pray to remain in service to your lotus feet and go to India to be with you very soon. We are missing you very much and wishing you a wonderful appearance day. Your servants at the Soquel Seva Ashram, Krsna Priya dasi Vyasadeva das Damayanti dasi Dhruva das Janavi devi dasi

30 Omaster, if we live abroad all the time, then we cannot look at your attractivce face, whose smiles vanquish all our sufferings. How can we exist without your presence? By remembering your form, quality, name, fame and pastimes the mundane world pales and extinguishes. We offer our unreserved dandavat pranams to your lotus feet. Happiest Birthday Ever. Divyasari Devi Dasi Damayanti devi dasi Asha Purna devi dasi Ishvari devi dasi