Vyas Puja Homage
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(Part 1)
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by Gurudas
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Oh how can an insignificant member, of an insignificant abode, begin to understand the most Holy of Holy. Oh my Dear Srila Prabhupada, You are always pure, Your movements are unknown to the impure at heart, Your seriousness of purpose does not allow for idle mind gossip or deviations.
When You first came to the United States, we wanted You to be loose in principles, like the jnani who wants God to be as he likes, so as to allow for sense enjoyment, but You know the truth and present it to those who hear -- those few moons who hear Krishna's perfect formula, and by Your smiling compassionate words we heard, and reawakened is a devotee's prayer to be reunited with my Lord, my Protector in Prayer, and as you have said, "The karmi sees with eyes the dog sees with his nose, and a devotee sees with his ears." You have taught us to hear.
Oh my dear Guru Maharaj, You are certainly no ordinary man. How can anyone be so pure, how can anyone be so compassionate how can anyone be so thoughtful, how can anyone be so ever youthful, travelling around the world on jets as if you are taking a morning walk -- from Russia to New York. How can anyone not deviate for a moment in love for his Guru Maharaj's teachings, never forgetting, The Teachings Divine. In fact You possess fifty qualities part and parcel of Krishna which are: 1) Beautiful features of the entire body; 2) marked with all auspicious characteristics; 3) extremely pleasing; 4) effulgent; 5) strong; 6) ever-youthful; 7) a wonderful linguist; 8) truthful; 9) talks pleasingly; 10) can speak fluently in all languages; 11) highly learned; 12) highly intelligent; 13) a genius; 14) artistic; 15) extremely clever; 16) expert; 17) grateful; 18) firmly determined; 19) an expert judge of time and circumstances; 20) sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures; 21) pure; 22) self-controlled; 23) steadfast; 28) possesses equilibrium; 29) magnanimous; 30) respectful; 31) heroic; 32) compassionate; 30) respectful; 34) gentle; 35) liberal; 36) shy; 37) the protector of surrendered souls; 38) happy; 39) the well-wisher of devotees; 40) controlled by love; 41) all-auspicious; 42) most powerful; 43) all-famous; 44) popular; 45) partial to devotees; 46) very attractive to all women; 47) all-opulent; 49) all-honorable; 50) the supreme controller. You are all these qualities and more because You are in loving relationship with Sri Sri Radha Krishna, and as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, You possess all these qualities to the highest perfection.
Although this appreciation did not begin this way, The Nectar of Devotion has been sought for reference, and I wish to elaborate on these most wonderful qualities that are ingredients of Your devotion. And as You have elaborated on Krishna's qualities in Nectar of Devotion in detail, I would now like to glorify Your qualities which make up the characteristics of a pure devotee.
1) Beautiful features of the entire body.
Anyone who sees Your lustrous glow cannot take their eyes off You. Your lotus feet (as seen in Ratha-yatra movie 1969) are pinkish and my shelter, Your legs are like pillars of strength, Your belly is the receiver of Krishna prasadam, Your arms are embracing all the fallen souls, Your hands gesture to all humanity to come back to Godhead, Your fingers clear the way back Home, Your complexion is so smooth and golden, Your teeth are pearls beckoning us to complete surrender, Your smile is oceanic. Your eyes are the relection of the Soul of Golokavrindaban, Your nose smells all auspicious tulsi and flower garlands, and Your tongue is always tasting prasadam and vibrating the Holy Names "Hare Krishna", and Your spacious ears hear all the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Krishna, and we await for the momentous reports.
And once in San Francisco the devotees said, "Oh Srila Prabhupad, You are so beautiful", and You replied, "I am an old man, your eyes see beautifully, so you think I am beautiful." But you are beautiful, in every way, even to those who cannot see well, or hear at all.
And in Surat, India, Your face was red, and Your nose watering and the devotees thought You had a cold, but as we left, You said confidentially, "They think I am sick. They do not know what spiritual ecstacy is."
And I defy anyone, to sleep and eat so little, and work so hard as You, so much so that Your youthful disciples cannot keep pace with You or overtake You walking.
All glories to Your Divine Grace.
2) Marked with all auspicious characteristics.
I cannot but think, in valueless sentiment that You have all signs of auspiciousness, but I am unqualified to know.
All glories to Your Divine Grace.
3) Extremely pleasing.
You know how to please anyone, from distressed mothers, to academicians from the university, and this is always manifested in Your relationships. Because Krishna is so pleasing, You also manifest this, and You are always telling us the perfect thing, at the perfect time, and You have a perfect relationship with each and every one of us, all different, and yet we are all pleased at once.
When You first arrived in Bombay, I brought a small table into your room, tiptoeing, as You were sitting with Your eyes closed, child-like. And You straightened up, and said, "The table can come here", and I brought over the table, and asked You, "Is the table too high?" And You immediately said, "No, it is all right." And you leaned on the table as if trying it out, and You invited me, and I leaned on it also. Our faces were close together, and we talked pleasantly into the later hours ... Oh how pleasing ...
On the way to Amritsar, we were together in the first class compartment, and I was very anxious to serve Your every need properly. You were pushing a knob on the window, and I asked hurriedly, "Would You like the window down?" And You said "No, I am just seeing the mechanics of how the window works." And I was so pleased and then You switched the fan on and off and then the lights on and off, on and off, my pleasure increased and increased. Everyone who comes into contact with You is pleased immediately. This we have seen. Jai Gurudeva, Jai! Jai!
All glories to Your Divine Grace.
4) Effulgent.
Once when photographing You, we used Your grey choddar for a background, and there was very little light, but the photos came out bright, and the grey turned into gold, and there is a light glow emanating from You in halo-like form.
And when You enter the temple, or any room, everyone feels immediately different, due to Your effulgence.
All glories to Your Divine Grace.
5) Strong.
Once in Montreal, you asked Malati devi to hand you baby Saraswati, and with strong arm You held her up, which took great strength. Then as an after-thought as Gaurasundar snapped a photo, you held Saraswati up again and quipped, "They will say what kind of Sanyasin am I."
In London during installation ceremony, the throne fell and You, as if holding up the whole universe or Goverdhana Hill, single-handedly held it up until we came to assist. You reflected all strength.
All glories to Your Divine Grace.
6) Ever-Youthful.
Your eyes are always glowing in youth, and all Auspicious lines reappear as the changing of seasons. Once Nandarani prabhu described, "as we watched Prabhupad in amazement, who in all seriousness, looked twenty years old. It was unbelievable. He had not one wrinkle in His beautiful face." One devotee gasped, "Oh Prabhupad, You look so young today! and You smiled cunningly and said, "Oh, someone has said that I am old?"
All glories to Your Divine Grace.
(Cont'd on next page.)
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