101st Vyasa-puja Offering from Jahnavi Dasi

Dear devotees, please accept my humble obeisances.

On the eve of the 101st Vyasa-puja of Srila Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, I would like to offer pushpanjali to the lotus feet of my Gurudeva and write this humble offering-letter to him.

Let me share a little about our meeting. It happened quite unexpectedly. I traveled to India because I had never been to this mysterious land. Before I left, my son asked me:

Mom, who are you going to India with?

I replied: With the Krishna devotees.

But they chant “Hare Krishna!”

I answered: Let them chant. I’ll take care of my own business.

And so, I arrived in India — Delhi, Govardhan, Vrindavan, Kolkata, Navadvipa, and Mayapur. During the parikrama, I had a life-changing meeting — darshan with Srila Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Maharaj. Later, while we were crossing the Ganga on our way to the math in Navadvipa where we were staying, I was suddenly overcome by powerful emotions. It lasted just a few seconds, but the realization was clear:

“If I don’t take initiation from this holy person, I will deeply regret missing this opportunity.”

There was a burning sense of potential loss inside me.

The next day, my God-sister Kalavati was planning to travel from Navadvipa to meet Gurudeva and his Russian-speaking servant, Purushottama Prabhu, to discuss the details of initiation. She was anxious about the journey, not knowing the language. I offered to go with her and told her that I also deeply wished to receive initiation from Srila Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Goswami Maharaj.

By the mercy of the Lord, everything fell into place for the day of initiation: I was able to get a sari and everything necessary. The date was March 8th, 2012. All those who wished to receive Harinam from Gurudeva gathered in a small room, divided into small groups with translators. There were about 150 of us from different countries.

Before Gurudeva arrived, his sevaks explained how the initiation would take place —how to chant on the japa-mala, how to recite the mantra on the finger joints, how to approach Gurudeva, and how to offer obeisances.

When Gurudeva entered, the initiation ceremony began. Names were called from a list. When my name was called, I stepped forward and bowed before him. Standing before me was a fair-faced, blue-eyed man. He smiled and asked in Russian, "How are you?"

I felt as though he could see right through me, reading my thoughts. At that time, I was the director of a company, very business-minded. His simple question completely disarmed me.

I received Harinam, beads, and kanthimala, and this became the most important meeting of my life. It turned my whole existence 180 degrees.

Let me also share about our next meeting a year later — in Kolkata.

I arrived at the matha after several months of traveling through Kazakhstan, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. I could not resist returning to India. I settled in our matha.

Every day we went to Gurudeva’s darshan. He would personally distribute sweets — prasadam — to us. And something miraculous would happen: while standing in line to see him, a question would arise in my mind; by the time I reached him — the answer would be there. This connection with Gurudeva was very real.

During that visit, his Vyasa-puja was being celebrated. I want to share how I felt being near him — an overwhelming sense of LOVE, toward everyone and everything. I felt as if I were immersed in a flow of divine love. My personal problems and questions seemed to exist on a lower “floor” — far below — and they simply couldn’t reach me. The “floor” or space I found myself in was filled with pure, unconditional, unlimited LOVE. I was truly happy.

After the Vyasa-puja when I was leaving the matha, that feeling of love flowing from Gurudeva seemed to dissolve into the sky. It was like a firebird flying away—impossible to catch by the tail. I have never experienced such intense love again. Only the memory remains.

Through my Gurudeva, I was shown that such a powerful experience of love is possible. This memory continues to warm my heart. It sustains me on my path of service, which is still far from perfect.

My humble obeisances at the feet of the great personality, Srila Gurudeva, His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Goswami Maharaj.

—Jahnavi Dasi, Russia (Orenburg)