Listen, all, and my tongue shall tell
In what great person great virtues dwell.
It is Prabhupäda, with such rare grace,
Liberator of the human race.
Ramai Swami 2011
To serve and not to be served is the constitutional position of the jiva, the living entity. Forgetting his real eternal nature, the conditioned soul becomes the false master of the material world. He plays the role of God and tries to enjoy his senses in every way imaginable and unimaginable. Though he tries very hard to be the supreme enjoyer, in reality the conditioned soul becomes a completely bound slave of Maya. Ironically, the more one strives for lordship, freedom, and pleasure, the more he increases his bondage of servitude.
For a fortunate soul, the spiritual master, Sri Guru, appears in his life to remove the darkness of mis- conception and establish him in the light of eternal truth. Sri Guru proclaims, “O lost soul! Verily, my dear friend, you are actually the eternal servant of the Supreme Lord Krishna (jivera svarupa haya krishnera nitya-dasa).” A new life begins. Joy awakens, and the highest divine prospect descends to lighten the burden of a million previous births.
This is the unique position of the spiritual master and Srila Prabhupada, the Jagat Guru , the spiritual master for the entire universe, the Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and to whom we owe an unpayable debt. On the appearance anniversary of Srila Prabhupada, it is an occasion of loving exchanges between guru and disciple with the sincere disciples mood reflected in the following poem by Sacinandanda Swami
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Today I offer the owers of my faith to your lotus feet.
Whatever you nd of value in me are gifts given by you
i sincerely fall down before your lotus feet and beg you:
kindly help me not withhold anything from you and the divine Couple.
Please give me strength and love
so i can wholeheartedly offer all my words,
acts, and thoughts for your service.
Thank you so much.
“He lives forever by His divine instructions, and the follower lives with Him.”