—Damodar

I offer my most humble obeisances to my Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, Who is so dear to Lord Krishna on this Earth, having taken shelter of His Lotus Feet. Prabhupad is the kindest of all living entities, giving without any restriction, to any person who desires it, pure unalloyed devotional service to God. He has had such mercy upon us, miserable conditioned souls with no qualification, to give us an opportunity to enter into service of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now have we deserved this gesture of mercy? There is no question of our deserving it. Prabhupad has simply given us this chance causelessly, just by His Grace. We have seen His perfection, and have become attracted to it. He is the transparent medium through Whom we can see Krishna Himself, because Prabhupad is working twenty-four hours daily for Krishna. He is always acting in the realization that everything is Krishna's property, and is expert in engaging others in devotional service. Prabhupad is our dearmost friend. In working to satisfy Him, we can find actual satisfaction ourselves. When Prabhupad is being fanned, all His devotees are cooled as well. We have tried to satisfy ourselves, our family, our society, but in no case can we satisfy either others or ourselves unless we take shelter of the bonafide Spiritual Master-only He can tell us who we are, and what is the goal of this human form of life. We are trying hard to be big men, but Prabhupad advises us to become great through service of the Greatest. And He is in direct disciplic succession from Lord Chaitanya, the Summum Bonum Supreme Absolute Truth. Prabhupad can deliver Krishna to us. Our Spiritual Master is not God, but He is the rarest among all living entities-a pure devotee of God. Therefore, because He is completely spiritual, He is as good, as worshipable, as God. He is a true Sannyasin. Not that He has renounced work; no, He works hard for Krishna, only for Krishna, and for His Guru Maharaj. He came to this country just to please His Spiritual Master. Even though He was living in the most auspicious holy city of Vrindaban, He left for the United States to do more for His Spiritual Master. So in this way, through the disciplic succession, such Great Souls as Prabhupad have exhibited the qualities of true love of God in their selfless devotion to Krishna. And in this way Prabhupad has become the Spiritual Father of so many children, and is raising them nicely in Krishna Consciousness. He has given us the greatest gift-life. Before we were dead, just attached to a miserable material body, suffering on account of our illusory happiness. But now we are learning how to live. Prabhupad has opened our eyes in the midst of darkness, and given us the torch of knowledge. Therefore, He is the best friend. Prabhupad has given us His whole life, just because, as a pure devotee, He is so kind. Every action, every word, is for our benefit. He cares nothing for Himself, only for serving God, and teaching others how to serve. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that such a person, who explains the process of surrendering to Krishna, is the dearest to Krishna of all His servants. Therefore I bow down to the Lotus Feet of His Divine Grace, Who has rained down His Mercy upon the forest fire of material existence, and has given us this priceless jewel of Devotional Service of Krishna.

-Damodar
(ISKCON-Washington)