Introduction:
This book is a collection of fourteen devotional offerings (Vyasa Puja) by the author to his beloved spiritual master – Srila Prabhupada, during 1982-1995. Each entry is preceded by a newly written commentary wherein the author reveals his personal life and the secret revelations behind each Vyasa Puja offering. By reading Tribute of Love, devotees will definitely increase their spiritual strength and gain renewed enthusiasm to devotedly serve their spiritual masters.
Softcover
Language: English
Language: English
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Sample Chapter:
Sample Chapter:
A Tribute of love
1989 Sannyasa Offering
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda,
Please accept my most respectful obeisances at the dust of your divine lotus feet.
Your greatness, mercy, and beauty cannot be compared to anything produced in the material world. Being completely pure and transcendental, your universally attractive qualities originate in the spiritual world. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kåñëa, has personally created and decorated you with these wonderful and amazing attributes.
In attempting to glorify you on this most auspicious day of your divine appearance, I will cite a few Sanskrit verses praising Çré Kåñëa by comparing Him to the lotus flower. The lotus flower is the symbol of beauty in the material world. The lotus begins humbly from the muddy bottom of a clear, placid lake. It rises quickly through the dark and watery depths to blossom under the sun’s brilliant encouragement. The fabled and famous lotus, dressed in red, yellow, blue, or white, explodes in waves of beauty cresting with saffron-hued pollen particles.
The lotus flower is a traditional object of meditation for yogés, an alluring subject for poets, painters, and photographers, and a perennial symbol of purity, peace, beauty and fulfillment.
In the original Vaiñëava Songbook translation of the “Çré Guru-vandana” prayer, the spiritual master is likened to a lotus flower five times in four stanzas.
1. çré-guru-carana-padma, kevala bhakati-sadma, “The lotus feet of the spiritual master are the only way to attain pure devotional service.” (ISKCON songbook 1974 translation) The whole process of Kåñëa consciousness is based on faithfully following a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa. While taking darçana of Govinda, Brahmä said, “Kåñëa stands before me with His two small lotus feet.” Similarly, Çréla Prabhupäda, your small feet are like two huge lotus flowers spreading their reddish rays throughout this darkened planet. By strictly following in your footsteps without trying to change your pattern or surpass your lead, the disciple will follow you back home, back to Godhead.
4. çré-guru-caraëe rati, ei se uttama gati, “Attachment to your lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires.” (ISKCON songbook 1974 translation) As Lakñmé-devé attained perfection by serving Lord Viñëu’s lotus feet, I pray for attachment to your lotus feet, Çréla Prabhupäda, which is the perfection that fulfills all spiritual desires. The spiritual abode is shaped like a thousand-petal lotus, and the petals are the abodes of the gopés, who are part and parcel of Kåñëa, to whom they are most lovingly devoted. Çréla Prabhupäda, since you are always serving the gopés, surely you must be residing now on one of those lotus petals.
As Mother Yaçodä bound her naughty Nandulal with the ropes of her motherly affection, I take solace from Bhägavatam’s Eleventh Canto which says, “If a person’s heart is always tied to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa with the ropes of love, the Lord never leaves him.” The secret to keeping your lotus-like association, then, is to love you, beginning with always thinking of you. First and foremost, Ambaréña Mahäräja fixed his mind on Kåñëa’s lotus feet: sa vai manaù kåñëa-padäravindayoù. All his senses then cooperated to give pleasurable service to Çré Kåñëa.
5. hä hä prabhu koro doyä, deho more pada-chäyä, “O master! Please be merciful unto me and give me the shade of your lotus feet.” (ISKCON songbook 1974 translation) The Srimad Bhagavatam verse (10.14.58) says, samäçritä ye pada-pallava-plavaà mahat-padaà punya-yaço muräreù, “By taking shelter of Kåñëa’s lotus feet one crosses the ocean of repeated birth and death.” Çréla Prabhupäda, please allow me to take full shelter under the shade of your lotus feet. King Kulaçekhara hoped that the swan of his mind would become entangled in the stems of Kåñëa’s lotus feet. Quoting a verse from King Kulaçekhara’s Mukunda-mälä-stotra, I close my offering to you, Çréla Prabhupäda:
“My only prayer is that at the time of my death I may simply remember Your two beautiful feet, which are just like lotus flowers blooming during the autumn season.”
Your servant,
Mahänidhi Swami
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