Please Accept My Thanks

Somehow or other, even though I was totally lost in the darkness of ignorance, I was saved by the wonderful mercy of my eternal spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. That mercy was first manifested to me through the agency of his disciples. In this regard, I am especially indebted to His Holiness Vishnujana Maharaja, who convinced me that I should accept Srila Prabhupada as my spiritual master.

Following in the age-old guru parampara system, the system of disciplic succession, Srila Prabhupada ordered his disciples that they should become gurus after his disappearance from this world. So as one of his disciples I was ordered to continue the legacy by also accepting disciples. Of course, I can never think that I am qualified to occupy to such an exalted position. I can only think that I am doing so on the order of my spiritual master and that I can only be successfully in properly be a spiritual master by his merciful blessings.

Although on the day of his birth or appearance it is the duty of the spiritual master to accept the praises and gifts from his disciples, he does not do so on his own behalf. Instead he does so on behalf of the previous acharyas and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. Many of you have written wonderful offerings in the Vyas Puja e-book compiled for me by my aspiring disciple, Bhakta Scott. And some of you have also given donations to help cover my traveling expenses. I can never give sufficient thanks to for the wonderful devotion and service that has been offered to me. But I can pray to my beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, that he will shower his merciful blessings upon you like torrents of rain in the monsoon season.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Written offerings can be read at:
http://www.backtohome.com/vyas-puja/2007.pdf

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Being Away from Devotees

In this material world, most people are non-devotees. We cannot avoid associating with them. For example, if you are a businessman, you have to do business with others. In short, we have to associate with non-devotees to make a living. We need social relationships to survive. Then how to deal with such non-devotional association without being polluted?

If only all people become devotees of the Lord! I live for that day. Then there would not be such a problem, then there would be sweetness everywhere

There is nothing more bitter and painful than being separated from devotees. I wish that one day I can live with Krishna consciousness devotees and serve Krishna together. But at present how to deal with the bitter feeling that sometimes comes into my mind?

Your most humble servant,

Yechen Zhang

Answer: Connect Within the Heart

Devotees of the lord do not artificially renounce this material world. Rather they spiritualize this material world by engaging it in Krishna's service. For this purpose you should strictly always follow the orders of your spiritual master and engage in your occupational duties in such a way that you become the leader of the people with whom you are associating. In this way you can lead them to Krishna, just as your spiritual master is leading you to Krishna.

The taste of bitterness of being separated from devotees is a actually a blessing in disguise because it is this intense hankering for devotee association that keeps the devotees always present with us within our hearts.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari