Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,

Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace. On this auspicious day of your appearance it is very nice to be with your many disciples and remember your transcendental glories. As you often said, “I am always with my spiritual master.” Similarly, although I am only a neophyte in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by your grace I know that you are always there to guide me across this ocean of darkness and material suffering.

saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-
trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam
prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

“The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a rain cloud pours water on the forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master is extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.”

It always gives me great pleasure to glorify your transcendental activities, and thus there is nothing else I would rather do. Everything is already done by you. Therefore, I am simply like a newspaper boy distributing the news. Because your glories are enlivening to all living beings, both conditioned and liberated, I am sometimes given a little praise.

This past winter, while distributing your books in Hawaii, many people thanked me for the work I was doing. One little old lady even said that God would bless me. But I was most encouraged when a man said, “I met Prabhupāda once, and I am sure that he is very pleased that all these books are being distributed.”

I would certainly be very happy if God would bless me, but what is more important is that you are pleased. Your presence is already God’s blessing, and I know that to please you is the highest perfection of life.

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi
dhyāyan stuvaḿs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

“By the mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace of the spiritual master no one can make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember my spiritual master, and at least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.”

It gives me pain to see that some of your disciples have so easily forgotten your mercy and exalted position. If someone says that they are equal to you or greater than you, my mind and intelligence become disturbed, and I find it very difficult to tolerate. I can simply beg such fallen souls to give up this foolishness arid return to the shelter of your lotus feet.

I remember in 1976 you wrote me, in reply to my letter, that you liked my plans for traveling and distributing books. My methods have changed somewhat, from a simple van in India to an elaborate cultural exhibition touring the United States. Here I am, ten years later, doing the same thing. You approved of this traveling and preaching, especially for a sannyāsī. At that time some of my godbrothers were criticizing me for my traveling. Now again even after so many years the same criticism is still there. But they do not know that it is your order for me to travel and preach, and therefore I can never give it up.

I do not expect to have many followers in this life, nor will I ever have a big position or very much money. You have already given me much more than all of that. You have given me the opportunity to serve you eternally. I am simply a beggar, and I stand before you. On bended knees, with folded hands, I simply beg you to give me the dust of your lotus feet. If one is so fortunate to achieve even a minute particle of the dust of your lotus feet, it is understood that he has achieved the greatest wealth, which can never be surpassed in this world or the next.

It may happen that someone will read or hear this Vyāsa-pūjā offering, but I do not expect that they will understand. Śrīla Prabhupāda, only you will understand my heart, because you are my eternal master and friend. I wish always to remain your servant because you are jagat-guru and I am Jagat-Guru Dāsa. I am always desiring your mercy.

Your eternal servant,

Jagat-Guru Swami