Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
This year we are celebrating your 125th Vyasa Puja. But because of my ignorance I do not know how to glorify you. Please forgive me for my incompetence. I owe my life to you. You are full of compassion, full of mercy. This is the reason you are ready to shower your mercy upon souls like me who do not have much inclination towards spiritual life. To save unfortunate souls like me you came to this world. You carried the teachings of Lord Chaitanya with you. You were always eager and ready to serve your dear Lord, Lord Chaitanya. And to please him you were even ready to go to hell and serve the suffering souls there.
In one of your diary entries, you share your heart.
Srila Prabhupada’s Diary
Sunday 6 March 1966
Sunrise at 6/30. Sunset at 5/53 Moon rise at 5/28 Full Moon 8/46 pm.*
Today whole day passed at Monroe Ananda Ashram. In the morning there was kirtan and it was very much appreciated.
Returned from Monroe at 6 pm.
Talked with Mr. Majid of Tehran (Iran). Interested in spiritual rejuvenation of the world. Took lesson for more than one and a half hour.
According to Mayapur Panjika* today is Adhivas day of Gour Purnima. Devotees at Vrindaban and Nabadwipa are enjoying the celebration. I am here alone without any devotee companion. But I have come here to serve the Lord and not for personal happiness. I am prepared to live in hell even if I am able to serve the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that His mission should be propagated all over the world and that is my objective. I do not mind the inconvenience personally felt.
Source: https://prabhupadabooks.com/diaries/beginning/1/1/sunday_6_march
Because of your extraordinary determination you have succeeded in your mission of fulfilling Lord Chaitanya’s mission. Today it is because of your mercy that millions of people like me are being saved from going to hell.
Why happiness always eludes us?
Each one of us struggle in this world to be happy but we do not know what it means to be happy. We think that by satisfying the demands of our material mind and senses we will become happy. We think that if we get power, position, prestige in the society then we will become happy. So, we dedicate our life in serving the unholy demands of our senses and mind. But in spite of our best efforts, happiness eludes us.
If a thirsty man drinks sea water to quench his thirst, then he will become more miserable. Similarly, when we try to satisfy our hungry heart with the things of this contaminated world, we become more miserable. You came to educate us that the hunger of our heart can only be satisfied if we give our heart to Krishna. Srila Prabhupada, you taught us how to sincerely practice devotion to Krishna. You practically showed us how we can become a sincere devotee of Krishna even in this age of Kaliyuga.
Srila Prabhupada’s greatest gift to mankind
In fact, millions of people all over the world should be eternally indebted to you because you have opened the door of the spiritual world for each and everyone of us. I never new there is some place called spiritual world. Most of the people did not know about it. Although the acharyas have spoken about it, Krishna himself has spoken about it but in this age of downfall this supreme transcendental secret was almost forgotten. You revived that knowledge and showed us the glimpse of the spiritual world through your transcendental literatures. This is the greatest gift you have given to mankind. You came to invite us to join Krishna in Krishna’s abode.
Without light darkness cannot be quelled. Similarly, you made it clear that without Krishna happiness is impossible. You gave us hope that attaining Krishna’s abode is indeed possible. The only requirement is that we should purify our hearts of all material desires and enthrone Krishna in our hearts.
Srila Prabhupada taught how to experience spiritual pleasure in material world
It is not that we will experience spiritual joy only when we will return to the spiritual world. If we live as per your teachings, then even in this life we can enjoy transcendental pleasure.
In Bhagavad Gita 18.54 purport you write, “The world is miserable for the materially infected person, but for a devotee the entire world is as good as Vaikuṇṭha, or the spiritual sky.” You taught us that we can be freed from our material diseases if we constantly engage all our senses and the mind in the service of Krishna. If we do so, then this world will not inflict sufferings upon us.
“A devotee’s senses are not attracted by material enjoyment. And even though the material world is full of misery, the devotee considers this material world to be also spiritual because everything is engaged in the service of the Lord. The difference between the spiritual world and material world is the mentality of service.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.4.25)
In one of the lectures HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj says that we do not have to do anything extra. Whatever is required to go to the spiritual world has been given to us by Srila Prabhupada. So, we just need to follow your instructions as it is.
Begging for the shelter of Srila Prabhupada on his 125th Vyasa Puja
Dear Srila Prabhupada, this year we are celebrating your 125th Vyasa Puja. Although we cannot see you today with our mundane eyes, but you are always present in our heart. Today your books and teachings are transforming the lives of millions of people all over the world. You are saving us from going to hell. You are the one who is transferring the sufferings souls of this world to the spiritual world.
Dear Srila Prabhupada, on this auspicious occasion of your 125th anniversary of appearance, Vyasa Puja, I beg at your lotus feet for your shelter. Please purify my intelligence so that I can understand your instructions. And please give me strength and determination so that I do not deviate from spiritual standards and live my life as per your teachings and instructions.
Life in this world is full of fear
But do not worry because Prabhupada is here
He taught us to conquer even the greatest fear
We owe our life to Prabhupada, he is very dear
Your insignificant servant
Purushottam Nitai Das, Kolkata
