New York/Rādhā-Dāmodara TSKP

Srila Prabhupada,

One day in Vrndavana I ventured, "None of our men want to leave here."

You replied, "Yes, actually no one wants to leave here."

Yet, somehow or other, the desires had arisen and we had fallen away.

Although devotional activity is completely pure, still we are just now rising from the mine of fear and hate. Thus in contrast to your spotless purity, we stand embarrassed by filthy garments of material desire that cover our long camouflaged forms, hindering our motions as we struggle to take advantage of your mercy.

Sometimes, when a disease of the blood causes boils to erupt on the otherwise placid skin of society, you do not cry for the removal of the sores, but instead, treat the affliction within. And when the contagion of fear and hate begins to spread its full epidemic proportion, you are the all-knowing, undisturbed, universal physician, patiently dispensing Sri Caitanya's prescription of hari-nama sahkirtana.

When we had lost our way in the dense forest of delusion due to an unreasonable desire to taste all the fruit there, you appeared, just to lead u home.

Although we were once all good and loving sons of the Supreme Father, we became spiteful wanderers amongst the groves of bitter fruits, hopelessly seeking out that sweet fruit that grows in the lush courtyards of our fathers' kingdom. Never lost or disconsolate, you are dragging us back to His abode, although the fruits that you offer taste bitter to our still jaundiced tongues, and thus we complain endlessly as we follow.

Now, as we fall at your feet like responsible children, exhausted from lifetimes of capricious sporting, senseless of everything beyond your shelter, you shower forth your mercy in incessant torrents, consoling and promising that we will never wander from Vrndavana again, as you have awakened the seeds of that Vrndavana within our hearts.

All glories to Your Divine Grace. May we somehow learn to accept your mercy.

Your servants at New York ISKCON-Radha-Damodara TSKP