om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah
I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual maser opened my eyes with the torchlight of knowledge.
sri-caitanya-mano-bhistam stapitam yena bhutale
svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam
When will Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada, who has established withing this material world the mission to fulfil the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?
nama om visnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
namaste sarasvate deve gaura vani pracarine
nirvesesa sunnyavadi pascatya desa tarine
My respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Goswami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanya and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
OM SURABHYAI NAMAH!
My dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet on this your 128th Anniversary Appearance Day in this world.
Today is the most auspicious day of Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s Appearance Day, Nityananda Trayodasi. I seek His blessings to write this offering.
As I sit in this Turkish Airline flight (with its motto SAVE THE PLANET) from Ouagadougou bound to Istanbul with connecting flight to Kazakhstan, Lord Krishna has reminded me to write my yearly homage to you. Srila Prabhupada, how to express my gratitude to you for this rarest of gifts, Krishna consciousness?
Srila Prabhupada, how to repay my debt to you for this treasure house of eternal Vedic knowledge summarized in the Bhagavad-gîta and the Srimad-Bhagavatam?
Although the world remains immersed in seemingly ever increasing horrific sinful activities, with grossly misguided leadership in most countries of the world, the divine message you have brought us through your tireless efforts of preaching remains ever fresh, ever pure, and as you clearly expressed, the only hope for this suffering humanity.
Somehow, by your divine grace, I am privileged to be part of this ongoing miracle that is taking place, this miracle that you have started in New York at 26 Second Avenue, this miracle that continues even today in the capitals of Cameroon, Togo, and Burkina Faso, this miracle that will continue to unfold for the next 9,472 years fulfilling the coming of the 10,000 year Golden Age in this most dangerous period of Kali Yuga.
Srila Prabhupada, you stressed the importance of distributing your books. “Print as many books in as many languages and distribute throughout the whole world.” That is the first part of your mission which you referred to as Sankirtan Movement in your essay on Gita Nagari, the two-pronged approach of the holy names and books.
Distributing books you stressed, that is clear!
You also reminded us of the importance of reading your books. “Regarding my books, everyone should read. I am also reading?” This relates to the second part of your mission which you coined as Temple Worship Movement, again, in the same essay of Gita Nagari.
Distributing books you stressed, that is clear!
Reading books you stressed, that is clear!
But you also underlined the importance of studying your books. “So, our
principle is to study the books as well as to distribute the books.” This
relates to the third part of your mission which you coined as Spiritual
Initiation Movement, congregational preaching, where one is meant to deeply
study your books to become qualified and certified.
Distributing books you stressed, that is clear!
Reading books you stressed, that is clear!
Studying books you stressed, that is clear!
And you also pointed out the need of living your books. “Vedic civilization was that keep some land and keep some cows. Then your whole economic question is solved.” This relates to the fourth part of your mission which you coined as Classless Society Movement where all members of the four varnas are practising Vaisnava devotees following the motto of Simple Living and High Thinking.
These four movements or phases comprise Sanatana Dharma which is non-different from Daiva Varnasrama Dharma, the Divine Culture as you so aptly translated.
Distributing your books, you stressed, that is clear!
Reading your books, you stressed, that is clear!
Studying your books, you stressed, that is clear!
Living your books, you stressed, that is yet to be clear!
Srila Prabhupada, you have followed in the footsteps of Srila Nityananda Prabhu by taking up this most challenging mission of reclaiming all the Jagais and Madhais of this material world. Therefore, you are very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
On this most auspicious day of Nityananda Trayodasi, I pray for the causeless mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu to imbibe His preaching mood.
And on this day of your divine Vyasapuja Celebration, I seek your kind mercy to become a servant of the servant of the servant, and to remain eternally fixed at the dust of your lotus feet.
I remain ever indebted unto you Srila Prabhupada. Kindly forgive my offenses and shortcomings. My obeisances unto you again, again, and again.
Your aspiring servant,
Bhakti Raghava Swami
