Jayatīrtha dasa

Jayatirtha dasa

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhū-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sūnyavadi-pasatya-desa-tarine

Dearmost Srila Prabhupada,

Eternal spiritual master, lord of my life, hear my humble prayer. You have left our vision, but you have not left our hearts. We feel your firm hand directing us, we hear your perfect orders guiding us, we rest in the security of the shelter of your lotus feet.

Of course when we think of how we sat at your feet and relished your divine company and we think that no more in this life will we have that opportunity, naturally we cannot help but weep. When I visited New Dvaraka recently and went into your garden, which incidentally you will be pleased to know is being kept very nicely for you, I felt like hurling my head against the fountain and giving up my life, remembering how you sat there in perfect tranquility-listening to Krsna book being read, smashing the scientists, tolerating our nonsense, smelling the night-blooming jasmine.

However, like that husband that provides his wife with a son to protect her before he takes sannyasa, you have left us with something to give value to our lives even after your departure-you have left us with your mission to complete. Although there is no doubt that you could have finished it all yourself, you have mercifully left us some work to busy us and to give us an opportunity to please you, just as Lord Krsna in Bhagavad-gita left Arjuna to carry out the fighting, although in fact by His potency the outcome was not in doubt.

tasmat tvam uttistha yaso labhasva
jitva satrūn bhuhksva rajyam samrddham
mayaivaite nihataḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin

"Therefore get up and prepare to fight. After conquering your enemies you will enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasaci, can be but an instrument in the fight." (Bg. 11.33)

Srila Prabhupada, my prayer is that I will always remember myself to be but an instrument in your hands, and that you will grant me the courage and the strength to fight on your behalf. Just as Krsna said, "They are already dead by My arrangement," so I know that by your arrangement all of the fallen souls of this age have already been saved. Still I see that, just as there was nothing more glorious Arjuna could do than to fight, there is nothing more glorious we can do than to carry on and preach your mission as you have directed us. Indeed, nothing within the three worlds or beyond is even the slightest bit worthwhile.

But one more request, Srila Prabhupada. I know that it was Lord Krsna's desire that Arjuna become famous and enjoy the flourishing kingdom, and I see already how now, by your order, men are coming and bowing down before me, offering me gifts and all respects, but I do not really want any of this. In my heart of hearts, I only desire to somehow or other please you by service and somehow or other, somewhere or other, in some other garden in some other universe, please let me sit with you again. After all of the scientists have been vanquished by eternal time, let me remain with you while you relish the fragrance of the night-blooming jasmine and hear the Krsna book being read.

Your useless servant,

Jayatirtha dasa

Initiating guru

GBC-England, Midwest U.S.A., South Africa

BBT Trustee

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/svp/vyasa-puja-homages-from-the-g-b-c/jayatirtha-dasa