ISKCON—Vancouver

ISKCON-Vancouver

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

A gift so priceless as a pure devotee
Has sailed from India to set us free
With knowledge, love and a very soft heart
He is serving the world the holy names
So that Godly life can again start.

An expert gardener can transform the most desolate and rocklike ground into a splendorous garden of Eden. With patience and constant love and care, he can change the barren surface into a thick bed of moist soil, perfectly suitable for nurturing an enchanting oasis filled with variegated fruits and flowers.

Srila Prabhupada, You are a transcendental gardener who has come to cultivate the dry, dirty and stonelike hearts so that the eternal seed of devotional service can be planted. With few facilities, but unlimited love and care, You have caused this devotional creeper to blossom within our hearts. This plant is priceless, for its fragrance transcends all the three worlds. For such a gift we feel we can never repay You.

O Guru Maharaja our souls do reach
To give you love as we instruct and preach
To all living beings whoever they may be
So they too may taste Your causeless mercy.

Your knowledge glows like ocean waves and pounds over Maya's shore. Your love tide rises and abruptly destroys sand castle illusion dreams and then carries us out into Your mercy ocean.

We look back and see all seaweed-like material impurities remaining on the shore as we wade all day and ride back to Godhead on your waves of devout love. You have kindly dragged us off the hot beach and cooled our burning bodies in your nectarean water. For such a gift we feel we can never repay you.

O Guru Maharaja, our souls do reach
To give your love as we instruct and preach
To all living beings whoever they may be
So they too may taste your causeless mercy.

You have nursed us to life with motherly affection.
The milk you fed us is nourishing a life of perfection.
You teach us patiently as if raising a newborn child
In order to help us control our senses as they run wild.

You are dragging our minds from the residence of crows
By giving us a place as nice as Your lotus toes.
O my master, father, teacher and eternal friend,
Your potency brings material life to an end.

O delicate saint as gentle as a newly blossomed flower,
All your energy is engaged in serving Krsna hour upon hour.
Your Divine presence can neutralize all our sinful reactions,
And thus by Your Grace Radha and Krsna become the object of all our attractions.

O Srila Prabhupada, we owe You our lives and nothing less
By Krsna's mercy You've come and we've been blessed.
Yet, fallen as we are, we only appreciate what you do,
And therefore our only repayment is in the words,
Thank You.

Your servants eternally indebted to You,

ISKCON-Vancouver

Mahatma Das Adhikary / Mahesvari Devi Dasi / Suklumbar Das Brahmacary / Rabindra Das / Mayavati Devi / Bala Krsna Das Brahmacary / Bob Prabhu / Bhumna Das Brahmacary / Andrea Kellerman / Bob Prabhu / Paramisvari Das / Mike Prabhu