Letter to Srila Prabhupada -- Unknown Place 13 March, 1977

Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

Let me first offer my fallen head under the petal-soft soles of your lotus feet, where I hope it will eternally remain. Out of pure causeless mercy and kindness you have given this coarse, gross materialist a taste of real pleasure derived from the ocean of devotional service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani. For that extraordinary gift I shall always be grateful and I beg you for the benediction that I shall never leave the service of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace, the all-blissful Personality of servitor Godhead, and all glories to those most fortunate souls who are engaged by you in their real business of devotional service. I roll in the dust of their lotus feet!

I just wanted to take the opportunity of expressing my heartfelt thanks for Your Divine Grace's kindness in allowing me to serve you these last sixteen months. I can honestly say that I have never been more satisfied at any time than when I had the opportunity to associate with you personally. Sri Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that a person who knows Him in truth is a very rare personality, and actually, as I have traveled all over India and the world with you I have seen these words substantiated. I am convinced beyond a doubt that only one person on this entire planet has really realized who the Supreme is and how to serve Him, and that person is you.

There may be so many panditas, big big scholars, but Krsna says that the real pandita is the 'sama darsi,' that one who sees the equality of all living entities as part and parcels of the one Supreme Whole (mamaivamso jiva loke jiva bhuta sanatana (BG 15.7). If anyone can be called 'pandita' it is you because you have practically demonstrated this equalness to all by engaging all persons from all parts of the world in service to Krsna, something which no one else, despite big words and much expellation of air, has been able to do.

Even amongst the Vaisnavas you are a rare jewel set in the purest gold. The brightness of your devotion to Krsna outshines all others, and while they stay at home with the Deity and their bhajan, you boldly set forth to preach the message of Lord Caitanya and your Guru Maharaja. In recognition of this the Supreme Lord has agreed to live amongst the mlecchas and accept their poor hearted offerings. Without your devotion He could never have agreed to do this. Once in 1971, after you had installed Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna in Sydney in a 'temple' that was actually a converted garage, you prayed to Krsna that "Now I am living you in the hands of these rascals, so You kindly look after Yourself and see they serve You nicely." The following year you told us that story and commented that now you could see that He has done this and you encouraged us to go on increasing our service to the Lord more and more.

Just recently also, you told us how, when the Bombay land dispute was going on and the demons tried to throw us off the land, you prayed to Krsna, "Sir, You kindly sit down tight and do not move from this place and I shall manage everything." Krsna did that; when the demons came to demolish the temporary temple you had constructed, they were stopped by 'outside' intervention just as they were about to remove the roof of the Deity room. Now, in fulfillment of your promise you have erected a most wonderful temple structure, certainly the best in Bombay, if not in India. These are proofs of your pure, unalloyed devotion and your determination to serve Him under any circumstance, 'ahaituki apratihata.'

Just now in the west, the demons are combining to try and stop this wonderful movement of yours, but that will never be. Because you desire the welfare of all living entities Krsna will spread this movement everywhere and the demons will be vanquished.

Now I am feeling very mixed emotions as I take leave of your lotus feet and venture off to try and enter the fire of preaching. I want very much to try to please you in all respects and I will do my best to spread whatever I have learned from you without envy or interpretation, and I beg of you your blessings in this regard. I also feel very much attached to your personal service, massaging your feet and doing whatever menial service I can, and if at any time in the future Your Divine Grace sees fit to have me back, I will immediately come. I know that my only business is to try and please you and that is all that makes me happy. Anything else is simply artificial and simply gives me suffering. Somehow or another I have become the most fortunate person to be your servant, so let that good fortune continue, forever, and wherever you go, kindly take this foolish person with you and engage him in your service in whatever way you see fit.

Jaya, all glories to you Srila Prabhupada, the full moon of devotion to Sri Krsna.

I beg to remain always licking up the dust of your lotus feet.

Hari Sauri das.