2000 The Heart of My Master

Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace!

Remembrance of you and serving your order are the two means by which I associate with you. On the auspicious event of your appearance I meditate upon Your Divine Grace with the following words. Please excuse my impudence if I appear presumptuous in any way.

Śrīla Prabhupāda, while crossing the Atlantic in September of 1965 you suffered two heart attacks, perhaps warnings of what an arduous mission you had undertaken. I heard from your friend Bhagatji that during your second attack Śrī Kṛṣṇa came to your bedside and personally messaged your chest. That must have been a wonderful experience for Him.

When Śrī Kṛṣṇa placed His hand upon your chest, did He take the opportunity to enter your heart, as He had done with Rūpa Gosvāmī? Did He empower you at that time to spread His mission (or was that at some bygone time unknown to me)?

Within your heart, was the Lord astounded by what He saw? Did not Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is no stranger to transcendental beauty, who is the master of all wonder, marvel at the exquisite serenity and divine splendor of that transcendental abode?

Śrīla Prabhupāda, within your heart is the Vṛndāvana of devotional qualities—enchanting, magnanimous, and grave. Everywhere are desire trees and desire creepers catering to the welfare of all beings. These trees and creepers blossom with flowers like Tolerance, Austerity, and Simplicity, which appear in unlimited colors and a variety of fragrances. The majestic groves of your heart grow from the cintāmaṇi soil of Kindness, which in turn is decorated with the many colorful gems of Mildness and Peacefulness.

Within the perimeter of your heart flows the Yamunā River of Spiritual Ecstasies, and within the core of your heart stands the Govardhana Hill of Resolute Determination, casting its multicolored hues everywhere. The aromatic breeze blowing from the Hills of Wisdom is warmed by the sun of Prema and then nurtured by innumerable Bhāvas. The ceiling and background of this divine abode is the clear blue sky of Humility, where birds like Respect and Pridelessness fly while singing happy songs.

The twenty-six qualities of a Vaiṣṇava are fully manifest in a myriad of enchanting forms in the realm of your heart, and they are places of pleasure pastimes for Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His eternal associates. Did Govinda marvel to see His own footprints, to hear the echo of His own laughter, and to see the remnants of His own pastimes?

When Śrī Hari came to the hundred-petalled yoga-pīṭha of your heart, did He wonder at the golden throne beneath the towering desire tree of your Love? While happily taking His seat, did He not run His hands over its many decorative jewels, which are in fact the tears of sweetness from your inner being?

At this place you daily worship Hari with sixty-four kinds of paraphernalia and cook the most delicious foodstuffs, which you offer with your own hands. As the Lord sat upon that prema-āsana, was He not enchanted by this divine land? Fully absorbed in the variegated beauty, majesty, and splendor of your heart, did Govinda not lose Himself in ecstasy?

Pleased and comfortable, did Śrī Kṛṣṇa not desire to bestow His full mercy upon you, as you stood nearby, His fully surrendered servant?

Śrīla Prabhupāda, did Śrī Kṛṣṇa cry a stream of tears as He spoke to you with the sweetest possible words, reassuring you of His protection and continuing shelter? Then, blessing you to fulfill your mission, did He enter a jeweled boat and, as He departed down the Yamunā manifesting His many forms, did he bid farewell with the words “Do not fear! Come along! Everything will be all right!” before you awoke from your “dream”?

Śrīla Prabhupāda, your heart is a transcendental wonder. It is the divine realm of Vṛndāvana, which is impervious to assault by karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs, and sādhakas, for the Vṛndāvana of the gopīs is reached only through the Vṛndāvana of sevā.

Only you have made your heart one with the order of your Guru Mahārāja. In turn he represents a line of pure servants, whose hearts are fully aligned to their guru, and ultimately the heart of Śrī Kṛṣṇa—which is Vṛndāvana. Thus, being fully dedicated to the order of the paramparā, you have revealed to us the “secret” of spiritual life and the secret of Vraja—unalloyed, unimpeded service.

Śrīla Prabhupāda, you brought your disciples close to you and asked them to become one with your heart (cittete koriya aikya) by becoming one with your order. Then you desired we make the world Vṛndāvana through the instrument of your heart, ISKCON. Only by your mercy is this possible.

On this occasion I can only plead my helplessness. Śrīla Prabhupāda, standing as I am, looking in all directions, I can only beg you, “Please bring me to your heart. Make mine one with yours. Through your service let me realize the heart of my master. Please bring the world to your heart, and make it as you desired.”

A magnanimous person never turns away one who surrenders to him. Please accept the worthless prayers of this servant of yours.

Śivarāma Swami