Amsterdam

To show us who to love,
His words gave light and moved the night -
A blessing from above.

From above the dark and gloomy plane
Of temporary life
He is calling us, "Awake and rise,
Give up this useless strife!:
We all, we're here, alive-but dead -
Knowing neither why nor how.

We live, but know not future, past,
And cannot enjoy now.

But now we know just what is true,
He's told us everything.

He knows the truth, he speaks it bold,
No fear of anything.

Before we knew you, Prabhupada,
We'd met so many speakers
Who gave us words and promises,
But left us, still, as seekers.

Who could help us leave the pain
Of happiness that ends?

Only one who lives above
These fluctuating trends
Could give us life again
Through his own purity,
And by his life of selfless love
Prove why we're meant to be.

He doesn't speak except to give
What is already known
By those who are already free,
Who have nothing but God as their own.

Cheaters give, but take from us
Before they're satisfied,
But, Gurudeva, your wishing is
That we're again revived
To our eternal state of bliss
With Krsna at our side.

You're His servant, grave and kind,
With nothing of your own to hide.

Without a light who can say
Why or how we're here?

But when we see how you are free
Then everything comes clear.

Some say they know what life is for,
Yet they go on living it
Like dumb animals who stand in line,
Waiting, their throats to be slit.

But you, O Prabhupada, never wasted time,
You said, "Life ends, so use it well,
And make it now sublime."

You live without hypocrisy,
Your speaking is your life.

You've left all others far behind
For you there is no fight.

And those who follow you
Have nothing more to ask,
For they are fully satisfied,
They know no painful task.

You've given us a joyful life
Of serving God who gives,
According to one's surrendering,
All freedom, knowledge and bliss.

We know that thanking you
Is our life's work, much more,
There is no end to this, we think.

Though with tongues galore
We want to spread your glory
All the world around,
Pleasing you we'll fill the place
With Krsna's holy sound.

Now you've gone, O Prabhupada,
But just into our hearts.

You gave us other swanlike men
To give the world new starts.

We now see you inside of them,
The parampara strong,
We'll turn the tide of Kali,
And we're not waiting long.

We are your lowly servants,
And thus eternally
We only want to stay as dust
Under your lotus feet.