Puerto Rico

We can find no more proper refuge for our prostrated obeisances than the lotus feet of our beloved spiritual father His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Bhavad-vidha bhagavatas
tirtha-bhutah svayam vibho
tirthikurvanti tirthani
svantah-sthena gadabhrta

My lord! Devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. You carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, and as such, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage." (SB1.13.10)

Once upon a time, by merciful arrangement, we came, afraid and quivering, into your garden. You sat in silence, legs stretched out before you, mustard oil on your body, shining in the noon-day sun. We sat and heard your voice break the silence: "It is stated in the Upanisads, when God sees you see. Accept or refute?" Of course, Srila Prabhupada, whatever you say we accept as true. "HOW DO YOU ACCEPT?" (Sadhu means one who cuts.) We sat with our minds baffled, our voices airing confusion. You answered very simply, "The sun is one of Lord Krsna's eyes. Without the light of the sun no one could see." Of course, how simple! "So," you said, eyes opening wide, "what is the power of your seeing?" As we thought we realized that the power of seeing was best utilized when seeing you.

As Satsvarupa Maharaja massaged you, we sympathized with his service and thought that the perfection of the hands was to touch you.

In morning kirtana in LA, you fed the children cookies, and we thought, "O to relish that Prabhupada prasadam." But then you let us sing kirtana and that was our prasadam." You let us glorify you, and that was our glory, the perfection of our speech.

Tanoh phalam tvadrsa-gatra-saṅgah
Jihva-phalam tvadrsa-kortanam hi
Sudurlabha-bhagavatam hi loke

"O devotee of the Lord, the purpose of the visual sense is fulfilled simply by seeing you, and to touch your body is the fulfillment of this bodily touch. The tongue is meant for glorifying you because in this world it is very difficult to find a pure devotee of the Lord." (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya)

And, we have come and gone form maya's embrace; mayara vase, yaccha bhese, khaccha habudubu bhai." According to Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, we are being carried away by the waves of maya. Even now we are afflicted by our old habits, tottering on the brink of falldown, we can only pray that during the hard times of our service we are somehow forced to remember you Srila Prabhupada.

Jagajivan dasa adhikari / Sita devi dasi / Srutasrava dasa adhikari / Anaṅgamanjari devi dasi / Mahasakti dasa adhikari / Prayaga devi dasi / Yasodajivan dasa brahmacari / Bhaktin Magalie / Srivas dasa brahmacari / Bhaktin Toty / Radhupatiprana dasa brahmacari / Krsna dasi / Mahadyuti dasa brahmacari / Bhaktin Angela / Patatriraja dasa brahmacari / Bhaktin Coqui / Ranajita dasa brahmacari / Bhakta Guillermo / Bhakta Amerigo / Bhakta John / Bhakta Micheal / Bhakta Hector / Bhakta Lee