Tehran

Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

Everyone in this world has a color, a tint, a pair of "rose-colored glasses" in which they see themselves as the central point of existence. They go around preaching their own brand of "mine or I" ism very proudly. The so-called intelligent ones even claim to be aware of the multi-colorings and incorporate these higher perceptions into false claims of mastership. Everyone is pretending to know something, to be able to teach something, without admitting their own limitations and desires arising from colored senses and mind. Thus, no one has peace, nor can anyone give peace. None of the materially designated colors match the soul; rather, they are sources of misery to the soul.

You have made us aware of these colors that have been blinding us, by being completely free from them yourself. Your effulgence is without any tint. Whatever you do is transparent, expressing the natural brilliance of your soul's devotion to Krsna. Your preaching is transparent (directing us to the Absolute Truth through logic, conviction, patience and confirmation by Vedic evidence). Your eating is transparent. (On our behalf, you accept hundreds of opulent offerings, yet you yourself eat barely enough to keep body and soul together.) Your walking, hearing, joking, sitting, dressing, and arguing are all transparently related to Krsna. You can call someone a rascal and then offer him maha-prasada. You show us the proper utility of everything by relating it to devotional service. Therefore, the Vedas sing of your character and call you the transparent via media to the supreme proprietor.

You are too practical and wise to ask us to drop our own polluted colors. You don't find fault with us. Instead you ask us to engage whatever we have for the cause of bhakti. To the extent we live in your instructions, we also become transparent and truly qualified to distribute your mercy. We should never think "Now we have become devotees. Now we are finished, no more to learn." No. Now you are giving us the chance to begin. Now you have let us actually see the dark shades of ignorance that have been covering us.

We no longer have license to pass judgments with our limited, colored vision. The beacon of pure, transparent light, service to Godhead, has become manifest through you. In a humble spirit, we ask for strength to follow.