Vyasa Puja - 1925

Reply to the offerings of Vyasa Puja

(Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur delivered the following lecture on His 51st birthday on February (14th or 15th), 1925 as a reply to the offerings of the devotees of Sri Gaudiya Matha)

Today whatever was spoken by my guruvargas (disciples) about me, I have very little connection with those words. But a fact is very much true, that mercifully, they are trying to rescue me from disinclination (adverse tendencies) to the service of Krishna (Krishnetara Pravritti). For that reason, I am indebted to them.

I have a great hope that , I shall be able to sing (kirtan) the Name of Gourasundara all the time. My long cherished desire and hope is to engage myself in the service of Krishna and Karshna (devotees of Krishna along with pure devotees of the Lord twenty-four hours a day and to spend the rest of my life as their servant. Seeing that long-cherished hope is getting fulfilled, therefore I am feeling unlimited (boundless) limitless joy (bliss). (For that) Therefore I offer millions and millions of pranams (obeisances) at the lotus feet of Sri Gaurasundara and at that say Goura-bhakta vrindas. My prayer to my Guruvargas is that they forgive me out of their own qualities. They are purifying my contaminated heart by their incessant Harikatha all the time and by reflecting their ideal character on my vision (eyesight). They have so much rati (loving attraction) towards the lotus feet of Sri Goura Krishna, that I like to get (make my life blessed with) an infinitesimal part of it (rati) and make my life blessed. Amid danger they are always protecting me.

I have some kind of indirect relation with the nectarian (gatha) topics of Sri Gourasundara. My Guruvargas’ preaching that ambrosial (gatha) talks to many persons around the world and in such a way fulfilling my (abhilash) desire. Apart from following the footsteps of Gourasundara, I have nothing more to desire (to be greedy for) or to care for, or to pray for. I am very weak (feeble), but Gourasundara is so merciful that he gave me the right to always hear Harikatha all the time. Those Guruvargas, who have given me the opportunity to hear Harikatha always. I like to take leave from this material world with their (smritti) remembrance, When I think (discuss) of the cleanliness of their pure character, I think it is my duty to come to this material world which is a hard place because of three types of suffering life after life. Because even in this material world, devotees of the Lord with such great character are present. I never thought before that I can ever meet with so many servants of Bhagavan who possesses such ideal character (at all time) Altogether when I was searching for the lotus feet of my gurudeva I though that unlike the manifested pastimes of Sr Gourasundara, so many ideal-character Goura bhaktas possibly will never appear again. But now I am astonished. Today, offering millions and millions of pranams so the lotus feel of Gaura bhaktas, I like to stop my speech.

vancha-kalpa tarubhyas ca
kripa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namah